59 members voted for the exclusion, while 28 members voted against it.
The exclusion was suggested by members of the New Conservative Party (JKP). The Saeima faction of JKP will not support the lottery, the party's representatives announced the day before, August 3. The Latvian Association of Doctors (LĀB) also expressed its disapproval of the vaccination lottery August 3, calling it a “waste of taxpayers' money for inefficient advertising campaigns”.
On Wednesday morning, Saeima deputy Arvils Ašeradens (New Unity) told TV3 that the issue is likely to be addressed on Monday, August 9, at the forthcoming coalition meeting, when direct questions can be raised.
Meanwhile, the Saeima moved ahead with the draft law providing that employers have the right to fire employees if they do not have a Covid-19 certificate, as well as to identify certain professions in which the Covid-19 certificate is mandatory.
47 members voted in favor of passing amendments to the responsible Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, 32 members voted against, while eight abstained.
In order for the amendments to enter into force, the Saeima will have to decide on them in at least two readings. The Cabinet has asked the draft law to be viewed as a matter of urgency.
