On Friday deputies examined 265 proposals out of a total of more than 350 proposals submitted to the budget bill, with the pace gradually picking up as the clock ticked onwards. Approximately 100 of the proposals were worked through in the last two working hours but it still wasn't enough to see the process through to the end. The session will resume on Saturday, December 9.
As previously reported by LSM, Thursday saw amendments linked to the main budget plan worked through. That process concluded Friday morning before the final tranche of proposals was up for debate.
Budget debates in Latvia have frequently turned into gruelling endurance events. The 2023 budget was only passed on March 9 this year after elections in October 2022 and then lengthy coalition negotiations delayed the process. The session on the budget and accompanying bills lasted 23 hours and 56 minutes, smashing the previous record of the longest session in December 2008, which lasted a quickfire 19 hours and 26 minutes. Lengthy budget debates are by no means unprecedented and have almost become a tradition.
