On Thursday, June 18, the Saeima approved Judge Juris Stukāns as Prosecutor General.
Saeima
On Wednesday, June 17, the Saeima adopted amendments to the Law on Judicial Power, which introduced the Economic Affairs Court as a specialised district (city) court, the Saeima Press Service said.
At a virtual sitting on June 10, the Saeima approved the government's major overhaul of local government and the regional map of Latvia in a third and final reading.
Saeima Legal Affairs Commission decided on Tuesday to move forward draft law for creation of Economic Affairs Court, the commission said in a news release on June 9.
On Friday, June 5, the Saeima decided on a number of laws and amendments that will regulate restrictions and support in the Covid-19 crisis after the end of the emergency, namely after June 9.
The Saeima in the first reading conceptually supported and acknowledged as urgent a draft law intending to regulate the situation of COVID-19 in Latvia after the end of emergency on June 9, Latvian Radio reported on June 4.
Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, has been operating in ad hoc virtual mode for several weeks as previously reported by LSM, but May 26 saw its first fully virtual sitting using the so-called e-Saeima technological tool.
Following the lead of the cabinet and other state institutions, the Latvian parliament or Saeima enters a new era April 2 when it conducts its first ever sitting by video conference.
Jurijs Perevoščikovs, head of the Infectious Disease Risk Analysis and Prevention Department at the Disease Prevention and Control Center (SPKC), told members of the press March 21 that all 100 Saeima members will be tested for the Covid-19 coronavirus after MP Artuss Kaimiņš tested positive for the virus.
Independent Saeima deputy Artuss Kaimiņš confirmed March 21 that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
To the outside world today is March 12 but as far as Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, is concerned, it is still March 5 - because one week on, the contentious debate on regional administrative reform is still rumbling on.
Saeima deputies returned to the legislative cliff face March 11 for a fourth day of debate on the government's regional administrative reform plans.
Saeima deputies returned to the question of the government's proposed regional administrative reforms March 10 with a third day of debate as they work through more than 300 proposed amendments to the controversial legislation.
The Latvian parliament (Saeima) on January 16 asked its Danish counterpart and law enforcement agencies to help find a solution to prevent the extradition of Latvian citizen Kristine Misāne to the Republic of South Africa.
Independent Saeima deputy Aldis Gobzems - who a year ago was briefly a nominee to become Prime Minister - spoke in parliament more times than anyone else during the Autumn session, according to figures released by the Saeima Press Service December 27.
An extraordinary session of the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, was been called for December 18 as the government continues its push to dissolve Rīga City Council over what it says is chaotic mismanagement of the capital city.
Estonia has become the presiding country of the Baltic Assembly (BA), taking over for the next year from Latvia at the conclusion of the 38th session of the Assembly in Riga. The Baltic Assembly presidency is held on the principle of rotation.
Saeima passed an amendment on November 14 decreasing unemployment benefits from nine months to eight, while on November 13 they passed an amendment increasing the minimum pension, according to the Saiema Press Service. Both changes were passed in the final reading and will take effect in 2020.
Debate over the form of Latvia's 2020 spending plans entered a second day November 14 following a marathon sitting November 13 that only managed to get a third of the way through the 29-item agenda.
On Thursday, November 7 the Law On Administrative Territories and Populated Areas was passed in the first reading by members of Saiema. According to the law, 39 municipalities will be created in place of the current 119 local municipalities by the next local elections.
The Saeima, in its final reading on Thursday, October 31, approved a bill that limits the ability of a Saeima deputy, prime minister, deputy prime minister, ministers and parliamentary secretaries to combine their official work with other positions in unions, foundations and social enterprises.
The Latvian Parliament, the Saeima, is inviting secondary and elementary school students to apply for the “Meet the Saeima” school program to learn more about how the country is governed and the role they can play in it, said the Saeima's press service November 1.
The draft budget for 2020 passed its first reading in Latvia's parliament October 30 by 60 votes to 34.
Saeima began work on scrutinizing the government's proposed budget spending plans October 30 in the first reading of bills that will determine the income and expenditure of the state during 2020.
According to the supported amendments to the packaging law in the final reading in Saeima, the bottle deposit system will take effect in February 2022. The first discussions around a packaging deposit began 19 years ago in Saeima.
On Thursday, October 24 Santa Purgaile was appointed as the new head of Latvia's financial regulator, the Financial and Capital Markets Commission (FKTK). Purgaile was officially approved by a decisive parliamentary vote with 55 members of parliament voting for, four voting against and 21 abstaining.
On September 5, Saeima MPs supported collective initiatives on limiting the advertising of non-bank short-term loans as well as ensuring better help to diabetes patients.
Latvia's parliament, the Saeima, returned from summer recess September 5 to begin another parliamentary semester.
Saeima Public Expenditure and Audit Committee members on March 26 sharply criticized the Environmental Protection and Regional Development Ministry for not being more active to change the situation at Riga municipal public transport company Rigas Satiksme, while the company's senior staff who attended the meeting were criticized for being too arrogant when answering the Saeima committee members' questions.
Economics Minister Arvils Ašeradens survived a parliamentary effort to force his resignation December 10 despite the likelihood he will only be in his job for a matter of days or weeks more at most.