On Wednesday, 18 July, members of the Citizenship Law Amendments Subcommittee of the Saeima reviewed amendments to the Citizenship Law and agreed on enabling Latvian expatriates to acquire dual citizenship, Latvians in exile and their descendants to retain their citizenship, and ethnic Latvians and Livs permanently residing outside Latvia to be granted citizenship.
Press releases
European Affairs Committee and NGOs agree on a cooperation mechanism for negotiations on EU cohesion funds and direct payments (16.07.2012.)
The European Affairs Committee of the Saeima and representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) will continue close cooperation and undertake specific measures to coordinate their positions in the decisive phase of negotiations on distributing European Union’s (EU) Multiannual Financial Framework for 2014-2020, with special emphasis on cohesion funds and direct payments both of which have been defined as Latvia’s priority matters. This was the common agreement reached between the members of the European Affairs Committee and representatives of NGOs, who met on Friday, 13 July, in the Saeima.
On the 93rd anniversary of the establishing of the Latvian army, I would like to thank each Latvian soldier who enables us to feel safe and protected today. On this day I would especially like to commemorate and pay my deepest respect to those soldiers who fought for Latvia’s independence and freedom at historic moments crucial for our country. The security of our country is unimaginable without the Latvian National Armed Forces.
In negotiations on the new multiannual financial framework of the European Union (EU), some progress has been achieved in the areas which Latvia considers as priorities, including cohesion financing for the period of 2014 – 2020. However, in the further negotiation process Latvia has to continue actively defending its interests in areas crucial to our country. Members of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima arrived at this conclusion on Friday, 6 July, after hearing a report by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the EU multiannual financial framework negotiations.
Saeima appoints Jānis Bordāns as the Minister of Justice (06.07.2012.)
On Thursday, 5 July, the Saeima held an extraordinary sitting in which Jānis Bordāns was appointed as the Minister of Justice.
Mandate Committee assigns the Ministry of Justice to study other countries’ experience in expelling MPs (06.07.2012.)
On Wednesday, 4 July the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee of the Saeima commenced its work on the collective submission “Responsibility for breaching the Saeima members’ oath”, and assigned the Ministry of Justice to provide information on the domestic practice in cases where judges or employees of the State Audit Office breach their oath of office.
Saeima conceptually supports amendments to the Commercial Law which will restrict illegal takeovers of businesses (06.07.2012.)
On Thursday, 5 July, the Saeima in the first reading gave conceptual support for the Draft Law on the Amendments to the Commercial Law, which stipulates that in case of changes in a capital company’s composition, a notarised signature will be necessary. The amendments set out specific cases when signatures will need to be certified by a sworn or notary public or when documents will need to be signed with a secure electronic signature. The Draft Law stipulates that signatures in a capital company’s application will need to be notarised when submitting to the Enterprise Register (ER) significant changes, for example, in the composition of the company’s council, board of directors or liquidator.
Āboltiņa to U.S. congressmen: Congress has played a special role in shaping good bilateral relations (02.07.2012.)
“Cooperation between Latvia and the United States of America is built upon a particularly solid foundation. During these 90 years, the U.S. Congress has played a special role in our bilateral relations. During the period of our first independence, the years of occupation and even today it has adopted resolutions marking and celebrating our independence and other significant anniversaries,” stressed Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Saturday, 30 June, when addressing a delegation of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that is on a visit to Latvia.
Āboltiņa to U.S. congressmen: Congress has played a special role in shaping good bilateral relations (30.06.2012.)
“Cooperation between Latvia and the United States of America is built upon a particularly solid foundation. During these 90 years, the U.S. Congress has played a special role in our bilateral relations. During the period of our first independence, the years of occupation and even today it has adopted resolutions marking and celebrating our independence and other significant anniversaries,” stressed Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Saturday, 30 June, when addressing a delegation of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs that is on a visit to Latvia.
Āboltiņa: This day honours strategic partnership between the United States and Latvia, courageous people and common values (28.06.2012.)
“Today’s ceremony is more than merely an act of renaming a street in Riga. It is a moving and symbolic act that acknowledges the important role of the strategic partnership between Latvia and the United States, and it honours the people and values who helped us to regain independence, withdraw the Soviet army, achieve strategic goals, join the European Union and NATO, as well as to maintain a strategic partnership with the United States,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, in her address to the participants of the ceremonial renaming of the street after Sumner Welles.