“We need to keep pressure on the Lukashenko regime, including sanctions, because Lukashenko supports Russia in its war against Ukraine, and his regime also oppresses civil society and organises hybrid attacks on the EU border,” stated Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), on Tuesday, 20 June, during the Assembly's debate on the situation in Belarus.
Press releases
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica in Strasbourg: Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine has major global impact (19.06.2023.)
“Russia's war against Ukraine is has a significant impact globally. It has a negative impact on food availability even in the most remote regions. Energy prices have risen considerably, and Russia’s acts have increased the number of people suffering from hunger and poverty in the world, with a significant negative impact on the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals,” said Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), addressing the Assembly's Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy, which unanimously decided to supplement the relevant report accordingly. The PACE session opened on Monday, 19 June, in Strasbourg, France.
Administrative liability for disturbing public order to be imposed also on legal persons (15.06.2023.)
On Thursday, 15 June, the Saeima adopted in the third reading amendments establishing liability for legal persons for disturbing public order.
Saeima increases criminal liability for threatening to commit murder or grievous bodily harm (15.06.2023.)
In order to ensure more effective protection for persons who are threatened with grievous bodily harm or murder, the Saeima adopted in the third reading amendments to the Criminal Law on Thursday, 15 June. More effective protection will also be provided to people whose safety is threatened by repeated or prolonged stalking, surveillance, threats and unwanted communication.
"One hundred years ago, our founding fathers chose the path of parliamentary democracy. It is not an easy path and requires the ability to hear and reconcile different ideas, beliefs and opinions. For the legislative process to work smoothly and constructively in a parliamentary republic, an effective democratic instrument is needed. The Saeima's Rules of Procedure have become such an instrument," said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, at the opening of an event to mark the centenary of the Saeima's Rules of Procedure on Thursday, 15 June.
Saeima changes repatriation procedure (08.06.2023.)
On Thursday, 8 June, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Repatriation Law changing the procedure for repatriation and providing that persons no longer will be granted the status of repatriate from 1 January 2024.
Speaker Smiltēns to President of German Bundestag: We are close allies in field of security (08.06.2023.)
“At present, the fight is not only about the square meters of Ukrainian land, but also about whether the world order in which the force of law prevails or whether it will be redefined as the right to force. Victory in Ukraine means a lot for the global future. Latvia and Germany are close allies in the field of security," said the Speaker of the Saeima Edvards Smiltēns on Thursday, 8 June, meeting with Bärbel Bas, the President of the German Bundestag.
Speaker Smiltēns: Deliberate destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine is a terrorist act (06.06.2023.)
“Every day, every hour, every minute that Russia occupies Ukrainian land, it commits crimes and atrocities there, killing civilians. Today was just another demonstration of the Russian modus operandi. Deliberately destroying the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine is an act of ecological terrorism. Russia is a terrorist state,” stressed Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, in a statement released on Tuesday, 6 June.
Speaker Smiltēns: The Vilnius Summit must pave path for irreversible integration of Ukraine into NATO (02.06.2023.)
NATO members are expected to present a strong vision of how allies will ensure lasting peace in Europe, including a clear, credible and irreversible marking of Ukraine’s path to NATO at the upcoming summit in Vilnius in July. This was emphasised by the Speaker of the Saeima Edvards Smiltēns on Friday, 2 June, in Vilnius, Lithuania, before the upcoming NATO summit, addressing his counterparts at the meeting of Speakers of Parliaments of the member states of the Alliance.
On Thursday, 1 June, the Saeima adopted a statement expressing support for Ukraine at the upcoming NATO Summit in Vilnius and urging for a decision to invite Ukraine to join the alliance.