On Tuesday, 27 January, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, participated in a memorial event in Poland to mark the 70th anniversary of liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp, where she stated that the horrors of war are once again ravaging the borders of Europe.
Press releases
Kalniņš and Čigāne: Europe Must Finally Call the Events in Ukraine What They Really Are – a Russian-Orchestrated Invasion (26.01.2015.)
Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima, and Lolita Čigāne, Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima, are urging the participants of the extraordinary Foreign Affairs Council scheduled for 29 January to strongly condemn the military expansion led and implemented by Russia in Eastern Ukraine, and to clearly state that Russia is the aggressor, not a neutral mediator, in the conflict Ukraine.
On Thursday, 22 January, at the annual foreign policy debate held at the Saeima the focus was on the current security challenges faced by the European Union, as well as the opportunities provided to Latvia during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union. It is the fifth consecutive year that a debate is held on what has been accomplished and what is planned in the realm of foreign and EU policy.
Guests of the Saeima attending the interparliamentary events of the Latvian Presidency in Riga will receive recordings of Latvian songs, as well as jewellery, sweets, beverages and designer items produced in Latvia.In order to promote Latvian design, the souvenir producers were chosen from among new small local enterprises and designers who have put a modern face on traditional Latvian arts, music and products.
Speaker of the Saeima at Foreign Policy Debate: Latvia has shown itself as a seismograph for regional geopolitical challenges (22.01.2015.)
Together with other countries in the region, Latvia has understood at an early stage that the need for security is a priority. This reveals Latvia and the Baltic region as a sensitive international seismograph which detects regional geopolitical challenges, notices potential eruptions before others are aware of them and calls for measures to deal with them. This was emphasised by Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, 22 January, in her address at the annual Foreign Policy Debate in the Saeima. The Speaker of the Saeima described 2014 as a turning point when the Baltics, whose previous concerns had gone unnoticed by the rest of Europe, became the initiator of reinforcing security.
Volunteers to Engage in the Events of the Parliamentary Dimension of the Latvian Presidency (13.01.2015.)
Organisational and technical duties will be assigned to 19 volunteers who applied to assist in the hosting the parliamentary dimension events of the Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Speaker Mūrniece will meet with the speakers of parliaments of Lithuania and Estonia at the Saeima (07.01.2015.)
On Thursday, 8 January, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, will meet at the Latvian parliament with the speakers of parliaments of neighbouring Lithuania and Estonia.
On Thursday, 8 January, the College of Commissioners will pay a traditional visit to the country presiding over the Council of the European Union, during which it will address the priorities of the Latvian Presidency and facilitate the dialogue between social partners, NGOs and society, on one hand, and the European Commission, on the other hand. During the visit, the commissioners will meet with Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, and Latvian MPs, as well as take a family photo at the main building of the Saeima.
The Saeima has set up the website www.parleu2015.lv that provides information on the events being organised by the parliament of Latvia during its Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The website will be a useful tool for participants to register for events and to receive practical information about the content and agendas of events.
Saeima adopts the state budget for 2015 (19.12.2014.)
On Wednesday, 17 December, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the Law on the State Budget for 2015, the Law on Medium-Term Budget Framework for 2015-2017, one new budget-related law, as well as amendments to 18 other budget-related laws.