The decision made today by the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) to invite Latvia to join the euro area is significant not only politically and economically. This decision creates the need to explain to society the process of euro introduction, emphasised Chairperson Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica during today’s meeting of the European Affairs Committee.

On Tuesday, 9 July, the Saeima adopted in the third and final reading amendments to the Construction Law which provide for major changes in the current regulations that will significantly expedite the construction process and decrease the administrative burden for constructors.

“Developing close relations between the Baltic States and Germany is a foreign policy priority for our country and myself as the Speaker of the Saeima. Latvia is interested in strengthening our strategic cooperation at all levels,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 8 July, when meeting with Joachim Gauck, President of the Federal Republic of Germany, in the Saeima.

“Lithuania is the first of the Baltic States to assume the EU presidency. Latvia will preside over the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2015, and Estonia in the beginning of 2018. Since the regaining of independence, the Baltic States have proved to be responsible partners in the international arena,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, at the solemn session of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the occasion of the opening of the Lithuanian presidency of the Council of the European Union.

On Thursday, 20 June, the Saeima in the final reading adopted urgent amendments to the Law on Ķemeri National Park, granting the Ķemeri sanatorium a special legal status.

From now on, the ban on using flags, coats of arms, anthems and symbols, including stylised ones, of the former USSR and Nazi Germany will also apply to public entertainment and festive events. This is stipulated by the amendments to the Law on Safety during Public Entertainment and Festive Events that the Saeima adopted in the final reading on Thursday, 20 June.

On Thursday, 20 June, the Saeima adopted in the first reading and by the urgent procedure amendments to the Law on State Pensions, as well as eight accompanying draft laws which provide for indexation of persons under LVL 200 as of 1 September of this year.

On Thursday, 20 June, the Saeima in the third and final reading supported amendments to the Handling of Alcoholic Beverages Law to limit the consumption of alcoholic beverages among children and young people. 

As of 1 September 2013, all courts will to have publish on the Internet their rulings that have been made in open hearings and that have entered into force. This is one of the provisions envisaged by the amendments to the Law on the Judicial Power adopted in the third and final reading on Thursday, 13 June. Concurrently, these amendments provide for increased responsibility and authority of the presiding judges, raising the maximum permissible age of judges to 70 years, as well as provision of other job opportunities or payment of the minimum monthly salary to judges suspended from the office during consideration of disciplinary or criminal charges brought against them; furthermore, these amendments envisage full transition to the so-called direct court system by 2017.