On Thursday, 14 July, the Saeima adopted in the final reading amendments to the Law on Institutions of Higher Education that will introduce several important changes in regulations concerning the activity of institutions of higher education; these changes are aimed at improving the quality of education. The Law sets forth stricter rules for developing and licensing a study programme and for selecting the academic staff.
Press releases
Saeima calls on EU to develop equitable agricultural policy and to maintain current level of cohesion funding (14.07.2011.)
On Thursday, 14 July, the Parliament of Latvia (Saeima) adopted two statements: the Statement on an Equitable Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union after 2013 and the Statement on the EU Budget’s Financing for Reducing Social and Economic Disparities after 2013. In the statements, the Saeima calls on the European Union (EU) to develop an equitable common agricultural policy so that farmers from all the member states receive the same direct area payments, as well as to maintain the existing level of cohesion funding in order not to jeopardise implementation of successfully launched investment programmes.
On 21 August of this year, the 20th anniversary of the actual restoration of independence of our country will be celebrated.
Lieģis in Brussels and Warsaw to explain Latvia’s stance on EU direct agricultural payments (11.07.2011.)
From 10 to 12 July, Imants Lieģis, Chairman of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima, will be on a working visit to Belgium’s capital Brussels and Poland’s capital Warsaw to attend meetings of MEPs and MPs from EU’s national parliaments in order to defend Latvia’s position that our farmers should receive the same amounts of direct payments as farmers from other EU member states receive.
Andris Bērziņš sworn in as President of Latvia (08.07.2011.)
On Friday, 8 July, during the extraordinary plenary sitting, Andris Bērziņš assumed his duties of office and took the solemn oath: “I swear that all of my work will be dedicated to the welfare of the people of Latvia. I will do everything in my power to promote the prosperity of the Republic of Latvia and all who live here. I will hold sacred and will observe the Constitution of Latvia and the laws of the State. I will act justly towards all and will fulfil my duties conscientiously.”
Saeima amends Commercial Law to reveal beneficial owners (08.07.2011.)
On Friday, 8 July, the Saeima adopted in the last reading the amendments to the Commercial Law that were deemed urgent and aimed at identifying beneficial owners.
On Wednesday, 6 July, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, met with Park Hee Tae, Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, who is on an official visit to Latvia from 5 to 7 July. During the meeting, the Latvian Speaker emphasised that this year marks the 20th anniversary since Latvia and South Korea established diplomatic relations and that this high-level visit not only will give a new impetus to closer bilateral relations in economy, culture and education but also will contribute to opening an embassy in Riga.
Economic Committee supports strengthening institutional independence of Public Utilities Commission (07.07.2011.)
On Tuesday, 5 July, the Economic, Agricultural, Environmental and Regional Policy Committee of the Saeima approved the amendments to the Law on Regulators of Public Utilities, which are aimed at strengthening the independence of the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in compliance with the European Union requirements. The Saeima will now consider the relevant draft law in the third reading.
In the first three months since the website www.21augusts.lv was launched, video interviews with the eyewitnesses of the restoration of the de facto independence of Latvia have attracted the greatest number of visitors.
On Thursday, 30 June, while taking part in the high-level women’s leadership conference on Women Enhancing Democracy: Best Practices, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, said in her address: “Differences between genders can be removed only by changing the way of thinking, by changing the social environment and general attitude towards women’s economic, social and political activity.”