The changes were adopted to reorganize the VARAM and the Ministry of Climate and Energy (KEM).
The changes are "necessary to separate the areas of nature and environment protection". KEM will take over environmental protection, while VARAM will remain responsible for nature protection.
The authors of the draft law have pointed out that the choice of the new name for the VARAM is both symbolic, emphasizing Latvia as a modern and digitally oriented country, and practical, pointing to the Ministry's task - to promote the country's digital development and ensure efficient provision of services to citizens and businesses in the digital environment.
However, it is strongly suspected that the words "smart administration (viedā administrācija)" were chosen instead of "environment protection (vides aizsardzība)" mainly to keep the abbreviation.
After the reorganization, the Ministry will be responsible for areas such as nature protection, regional development, local government development and supervision, spatial development planning, land and public administration services management, information society and digital transformation development planning, coordination, and management, as well as management of digital technologies in public administration, according to the authors of the draft law. These are largely the same functions it held before.
