On Friday, April 12, concrete work began on the first bridge abutment on the Daugava. The outline of the new Rail Baltica bridge over the Daugava should be visible in a year's time, Latvian Television reported.
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Former Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity) had his final day as foreign minister on Wednesday, April 10. He would comment on the findings of the State Audit Office when he was familiar with the audit report, Latvian Television reported.
Several thousand more Russian citizens in Latvia could be required to pass a Latvian language exam. These are the persons who received a permanent residence permit in Latvia in 1992. The Saeima will begin to view the relevant amendments this week, Latvian Television reported.
Riga City Council (RD) will soon have to decide whether to build a national football stadium in Lucavsala. More than 10 hectares of land has already been supported for the purpose by the responsible local government committee, Latvian Radio reported on April 4.
The current Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (New Unity) could be nominated for the post of the vacant Foreign Minister, according to unofficial information available to Latvian Television (LTV).
Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia have signed a cooperation agreement on audit in the implementation and financing of the Rail Baltica project. Each of the three Baltic States will appoint the national auditors, Latvian Television reported on Monday.
Since December 7 when signature collection to initiate a referendum to repeal partnership regulation in Latvia, 3,801 voters have signed, Latvian Television reported December 12.
The Saeima faction of the Jaunā Vienotība (New Unity) party has seen its strength reduced amid internal strife, according to a report from Latvian Television.
On Wednesday, November 15, Jānis Škapars, a prominent Latvian political and social figure on the way to independence, has died aged 95.
Riga councilors are considering reorienting or moving the writer Vilis Lācis' Monument in Meža Cemetery. Originally the monument was installed with only one purpose – obscuring the view of the monument of the first President of Latvia, Jānis Čakste, Latvian Television reported November 12.
At the end of November, ten municipal public transport buses will be sent from Rīga to Chernihiv. The public is repeatedly asked to help fill the buses with food, hygiene goods, and other everyday items.
The darkest time of the year in Latvia is also the time of the festival of light and freedom. The Museum of the Occupation of Latvia invites the public to light up the dark 'corner house' and commemorate those who once sacrificed freedom on behalf of Latvia by donating a flashlight that will be placed in the windows of the building from November 11 to 18.
The Council of Public Transport has decided not to close six train stations next year as previously planned – Cena, Kūdra, Dārziņi, Rumbula, Kaibala, and Inčupe, Latvian Television reported on Monday, October 30. Such a conception previously triggered objections from locals.
Riga will dismantle the bust of Soviet time scientist Mstislav Keldysh by Riga Canal opposite the main building of the University of Latvia, Rīga City Council (RD) decided on Wednesday, October 18.
Former policewoman Anastasija Cvirko, who has been accused of inaction in connection with the attack on a youth with a Ukrainian flag, has been fined €9,300, Latvian Television reported on October 10.
The Union of Greens and Farmers will not refuse cooperation with Aivars Lembergs, head of "For Latvia and Ventspils" party, after a prison sentence in the second court instance. The party says the court's verdict has not yet entered into force and can be appealed, Latvian Television reported September 27.
With the approval of the new government, the composition of the 14th Saeima is also changing as of September 20. Several former ministers have returned to work in Parliament, but the mandate of the Saeima deputy was lost by politicians approved for ministerial posts.
With the approval of the new government, changes can be expected not only at ministries but also in the composition of Saeima committees on different subjects, the Presidium which is responsible for governing the work of the the Saeima (parliament), and in the faces visible in the debating chamber itself.
Minister of Health Līga Meņģelsone considered joining the New Unity party and potentially continuing to play a role at the ministry she headed, but later changed her mind after negotiations, reported Latvian Television September 15.
The Rīga municipal “Honor to serve Rīga” party (GKR) has decided to cooperate with the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS) potentially represented in the coalition of the future government, Latvian Television reported on September 6.
With the future government of New Unity with the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and Progressives, not only ministers will change, but also Saeima officials – from committee leaders to the Speaker of the Parliament, who could be a ZZS politician, reports Latvian Television on September 5.
Following the decision of the current Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity party) to resign, his party has nominated current Minister of Welfare, Evika Siliņa, to fill the post of Prime Minister, reported Latvian Television August 16.
After months of on-off negotiations between the three parties in Latvia's current ruling coalition – New Unity, the National Alliance and the United List – Friday sees all three gathering around a table for what could be a decisive meeting.
More than a month after Mārtiņš Staķis left the position of Rīga mayor, a vote on the election of the next one is scheduled for next week. Although no candidate has been officially announced, the councilors confirmed that it is planned to move the acting mayor, former vice mayor Vilnis Ķirsis, Latvian Television reported August 10.
Bilateral negotiations between the National Alliance/Latvian Regional Alliance (NA/LRA) and "Par/Progressive" factions of the Riga City Council have failed to come to any agreement on reducing the number of current Riga 'vice mayors' (deputy mayors), reports Latvian Television and Latvian Radio.
In the autumn, the Latvian Saeima will decide whether to set more stringent procedures for the purchase of alcohol. Health experts say there is no time to waste in the matter, Latvian Television reported on July 22.
There should be only one vice mayor in Riga City Council, as well as a change in the political leadership in the field of transport and traffic, said Justīne Panteļējeva, co-chair of Progressives party, after a meeting on the formation of a new coalition in the Rīga City Council on Tuesday, July 18.
In Riga City Council, the commission established with the support of the opposition to investigate alleged offenses in the Transport Department, which led to the collapse of the coalition and the resignation of Mayor Mārtiņš Staķis (Progressives/For!), has renewed the two previously suspended officials in their offices, Latvian Television reported July 17.
In Rīga, Tērbatas Street, it is planned to install and try out green infrastructure solutions – covering walls and roofs with various plants, as well as setting up rain gardens to allow people to cool off during the hot summer days, Latvian Television reported on June 25.
Elsewhere in the world, food prices are declining, but tn the Baltic States they are growing. According to the Central Statistical Bureau, prices for food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by nearly 18% during the year. Representatives of the Competition Council (KP) said during the meeting of the Saeima Submissions Committee on June 21 that they are examining food prices in supermarkets.
On Tuesday, June 20, five-party talks were initiated by the New Unity, but yet again current coalition partners National Alliance and United List (AS) did not attend. Meanwhile, the management of state capital companies and the development of the capital market was discussed by the New Unity, the Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS) and the Progressives.
The potential expansion of the existing coalition would only be possible with political forces that would be willing to accept the values of the New Unity political force, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (JV) said after the meeting of the coalition on Monday, June 5.