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.
Months after the October 6 parliamentary election, Latvia finally seems to be on the verge of installing a new cabinet. In this short piece we explain the process in which a government is put in place.
The Latvian Saeima on December 6 voted to reject signing the United Nations Global Compact for Migration.
The Latvian Saeima made numerous decisions on electing parliamentary committees November 20.
The Latvian Saeima on November 20 made a decision on electing parliamentary committees.
An initiative on the public initiative portal manabalss.lv has collected more than 10,000 signatures over lifting compensations for incumbent MPs not reelected into the next Saeima, reported Latvian Radio November 14.
A declaration put forth recently by the New Conservative Party (JKP) is a step ahead in the talks for setting up the new government, but there's not enough money in the 2019 budget for the initiatives in the plan, said Development/For! co-chair Daniels Pavļuts appearing on LTV November 12.
Ināra Mūrniece (National Alliance) was re-elected Saeima chairwoman, the important speaker's position, on November 6, as the first order of business for the newly-elected members of the 13th Saeima.
The KPV LV party won 16 seats at the 13th Saeima election. However, but a few of them are publicly known.
The distribution of the seats in the 13th Saeima following parliamentary elections October 6 will see a significant increase in the number of female deputies.
Just two days before Latvia goes to the polls in parliamentary elections, Saeima approved a major constitutional change that will alter the way a state president is chosen.
A second member of the Latvian parliament had his parliamentary immunity lifted June 21 as a result of another urgent request from law enforcement.
The Latvian parliament or Saeima on June 20 gave Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis (Greens and Farmers Union) a month to prepare a list of officials responsible for introduction of the flawed green energy subsidy system and the so-called Mandatory Purchase Component (MPC) of electricity bills.
LTV reported June 20 that a closed-door meeting of the Saeima's Mandates, Ethics and Submissions Committee met behind closed doors this morning, with the subject for discussion apparently maverick MP Artuss Kaiminš.
Latvia's parliamentary speaker, Ināra Mūrniece will give one of the keynote speeches at a meeting of speakers from parliaments of European Union member states in Tallinn, organizers have said.
Prime Minister Māris Kučinskis addressed the Saeima Febrary 22 in his summary of the government's progress over the last 12 months.
Corruption is in full force in Latvia and groups with limited membership pursuing their own economic interests often call the tune, said Inguna Sudraba (For Latvia from the Heart party), the chairwoman of the ad hoc parliamentary committee probing the so-called "oligarch affair".