On Thursday, 6 June, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Cabinet Structure Law in order to reorganise the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (MoEPRD) and the Ministry of Climate and Energy (MoCE). The changes provide that MoEPRD will be called the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development (MoSARD) as of 1 July.

The changes aim to separate nature and environmental protection. The Ministry of Climate and Energy will take over environmental protection, while the Ministry of Smart Administration and Regional Development will retain the area of nature protection.

According to the authors of the draft law, the choice of the ministry’s new name is both symbolic, highlighting Latvia as a modern and digitally oriented country, and practical, pointing to the ministry’s task of promoting the country’s digital development and ensuring the provision of effective services to citizens and businesses in the digital environment.

After the reorganisation, the MoEPRD will be responsible for such areas as nature protection, regional development, local government development and supervision, spatial development planning, land and public administration service management, information society and digital transformation development planning, coordination and management, as well as management of digital technologies within public administration, as indicated by the authors of the draft law.

Amendments to the Law also provide that the Cabinet shall, by 1 July 2028, draw up draft laws for the Saeima on necessary amendments to other laws related to the competence and functions of the Minister for Smart Administration and Regional Development.

Saeima Press Service