The Presidium of the Saeima decided today to schedule the annual foreign policy debate in the Saeima for 26 January.

It is planned to hold the foreign policy debate at a special plenary sitting of the Saeima at 12:00 on 26 January. The sitting will begin with a report by the Minister for Foreign Affairs on accomplishments and planned future activities in foreign policy, and then the floor will be open for the debate.

The foreign ambassadors residing in Latvia will be invited to follow the debate in person. It will also be possible for anyone interested to watch the live stream on the website of the Saeima.

Pursuant to the Rules of Procedure of the Saeima, not later than by 16 January the Minister for Foreign Affairs should submit to the Saeima the annual report, approved by the Prime Minister, on accomplishments and planned future activities in foreign policy. The report should also contain information on activities regarding European Union matters.

In preparation for the Saeima’s foreign policy debate, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima has invited experts in foreign affairs representing the academia and the non-governmental sector to meet on 18 January for a discussion on the most important topics in this area.

The first debate on the country’s foreign policy in the Saeima took place on 27 January last year, when after the report by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, 25 MPs took the floor.

Amendments to the Rules of Procedure that provide for conducting debates on foreign policy were adopted by the Saeima in autumn 2010.

The foreign policy debate is held at the plenary sitting closest to the date of international recognition of the Republic of Latvia (26 January).

Saeima Press Service