On 17 October 2019, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Sameh Shoukry, who was in Latvia on an official visit: the first visit to Latvia by an Egyptian Foreign Minister.
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was on an official visit to Latvia October 16.
The Cabinet of Ministers on October 16 approved the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry's proposal to create 39 municipalities in Latvia instead of the 119 existing ones as part of the planned administrative-territorial reform.
Latvia said October 15 that considers the EU Council Presidency’s current proposal on the multiannual budget to be unacceptable.
Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on October 15 warned Latvian exporters to be aware of the ramifications of sanctions announced by the United States against fellow NATO member state, Turkey.
Another high-profile visitor dropped into the Latvian capital October 15 in the form of Charles Michel, who will take over from Donald Tusk as President of the European Council on December 1.
Latvian government coalition parties have agreed to support proposed territorial reform, adding three more municipalities to the initial model presented.
Latvia on October 11 followed the lead of Lithuania and Estonia in noting the inappropriate nature of a "celebration" planned in Moscow this weekend, describing it instead as an "unfriendly action."
Latvian Member of the European Parliament Tatjana Ždanoka (Latvian Russian Union party) - widely regarded as a strongly pro-Kremlin voice in the European Parliament - voted alongside Nigel Farage and his anti-EU Brexit party October 10 against a motion that was heavily critical of Russian election interference.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will make his first official visit to Latvia October 16, the Latvian Presidential Chancellery has announced.
On 9 October 2019 in Riga, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Sweden, Ann Linde, during which the Ministers discussed bilateral relations, current issues for the European Union (EU), international relations and cooperation in international organisations, the ministry reported.
On 7 October 2019, the Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Edgars Rinkēvičs, during his official visit in Ukraine, had meetings with the Speaker of Parliament, Dmytro Razumkov, Prime Minister Oleksiy Honcharuk, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Vadym Prystaiko, using the occasion to "express Latvia’s readiness to provide rehabilitation services for Ukrainians released from detention in Russia on 7 September 2019," according to a statement from the ministry.
Latvia's Valdis Dombrovskis is on the spot in Brussels October 8, facing questions from the European Parliament as he seeks approval for another term as a European Commissioner.
Latvia is minded to back a new Brexit postponement in order to prevent the UK's disorderly withdrawal from the European Union (EU), Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs (New Unity arty) told the LETA newswire through his spokesman Martins Dregeris October 6.
Former Rīga mayor Nils Ušakovs, now a European Parliament member and chairman of Harmony, and veteran politician Alfrēds Rubiks have been removed from the board of Harmony, according to an announcement published in the official gazette Latvijas Vestnesis.
On 1 October 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia approved the posting of the civilian expert, Dace Meilija, to the European Union Advisory Mission (EUAM) Ukraine as of 7 October this year, reported the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Opening an embassy in Australia, which has a sizable Latvian diaspora of post-WWII refugees and their relatives, is among the named budget priorities for 2020. Together with Brazil, Australia is the second country that the Foreign Ministry named as an important location for opening an embassy.
On October 3 the Latvian parliament supported a bill that would extend the freeze on cadastral values of real estate properties until 2021.
One of the most high-profile members of the Harmony opposition political party is preparing to found a new political force, Latvian Radio reported October 2.
Latvia will be the only Council of Europe member not to participate in the plenary meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe's (PACE) autumn session in solidarity with Ukraine, but the Latvian delegates will continue participation in PACE political groups and committees, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere (New Unity), head of the Latvian delegation to the PACE, told the press.
A Justice Ministry initiative aims to funnel €5 million for a dramatic increase in funding for political parties next year, but PM Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity) now says €1m of that could be instead spent on increasing wages at public media.
One year on from Saeima elections, Latvia's political parties continue to see some notable rises and falls in their popularity among voters, according to the latest poll from SKDS for LTV, released September 27.
Latvia's foreign minister has repeated a suggestion that India should open an embasy in Latvia.
While on working visit to the United States of America on 22-27 September, the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, participated in the UN General Assembly in New York September 24, giving his first speech to fellow leaders.
On 24 September 2019, resident and non-resident ambassadors accredited to Latvia will swap their familiar metropolitan surroundings for the undiscovered beauties of Latgale on their annual regional trip.
Interior Minister Sandis Ģirģens (KPV LV) has proposed a merger of the Justice and Interior Ministries.
A meeting due to be held in Rīga next month will feature Chinese Minister of Culture and Tourism, Luu Shugang, it was revealed September 20.
The term of office of the Governor of the Bank of Latvia is to be reduced from the previous six years to five years. The relevant amendments to the Law on the Bank of Latvia were adopted by the Saeima in its second reading on Thursday, September 19.
European Parliament Member Sandra Kalniete (New Unity) has been voted in as the vice president of the European Parliament's largest political group - the European People's Party, Kalniete's assistant Elina Bivina told LETA.
Despite objections from several municipalities, the government, after discussions that lasted for several hours on September 17, supported the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry's proposal to reduce the number of the regions in Latvia from 119 to 36, and gave the ministry the go-ahead to continue the administrative territorial reform.