On January 20 in the first reading, the Saeima supported amendments to the Animal Protection Law, which provides for the prohibition of the breeding of animals for the sole purpose of obtaining fur as of January 1, 2026.
Saeima
On December 9, the Saeima supported the draft decision on the extradition of deputy Jānis Ādamsons for criminal prosecution.
Representatives of the Latvian Saeima, as well as counterparts from Estonia and Lithuania, are attending the Open Parliament Forum in Taiwan, a move likely to prompt the ire of China, which claims the island republic as its own territory. Taiwan insists it is an independent country in its own right.
A joint statement was issued by the Speakers of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, the Riigikogu of the Republic of Estonia, the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia November 23, in which the recent actions of self-declared Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko (variant spelling Alyaksandr Lukashenka) and his regime were strongly condemned. The statement is reproduced below and attached in PDF form.
Six members of the Latvian parliament had still not presented a Covid-19 certificate of vaccination or recovery, Latvian Television reported early November 15, revising the figure to four soon afterwards when two deputies did present Covid certificates.
On Friday, November 12, in the final reading, the Saeima approved a law requiring members of parliament and local government deputies to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
On Thursday, November 11, the Saeima supported amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Children's Rights which provides for the determination of responsibility for the neglect of children, as well as the definition of the term “negligence” in the Law.
On Thursday, October 21, a majority of Saeima deputies rejected a draft decision on the withdrawal of the MP Aldis Gobzems from the Saeima Committee for Sustainable Development.
On Friday, October 15, the Saeima passed the draft state budget bill 2022 and the related drafts to viewing at Saeima committees.
On Thursday October 14, following extensive discussions, the Saeima supported the government's order to announce an emergency by January 11 to limit the spread of Covid-19.
Latvian Finance Minister Jānis Reirs presented his budget plans to the Saeima October 14 for discussion and debate. In keeping with tradition he did so by handing his spending plans over in a briefcase, but in a break with tradition he used a brand new and decidedly eye-catching piece of designer luggage.
Opposition deputy Aldis Gobzems will be expelled from six Saeima meetings for refusing to present a Covid-19 certificate or a negative Covid-19 test in the on-site session. It was decided by a majority of parliamentarians on September 9.
On September 9 and 10, delegations to the Baltic Assembly are in Lithuania to participate in the meetings on the migrant crisis on the borders of Latvia and Lithuania, among other issues.
The Saeima Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee decided September 8 to forbid maverick deputy Aldis Gobzems to attend six Saeima meetings, Latvian Television reported.
Not for the first time, independent opposition MP Aldis Gobzems was the center of attention in Latvia's parliament September 2 when his refusal to show a valid Covid test certificate - despite apparently having one - forced the Saeima to revert to its e-Saeima distanced format instead of holding a full in-person sitting.
95 out of 100 Saeima deputies have a certificate of vaccination against Covid-19 or recovery, the Saeima Speaker Ināra Mūrniece (National Alliance) told Latvian Television September 2.
An absolute majority of members of Saeima Defense, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee conceptually supported compulsory vaccination for Saeima deputies on August 26.
The Saeima Bureau and the Faction Council agreed unanimously today Saeima will meet on-site as of September 2, and that members without a Covid-19 certificate will be able to attend with a negative Covid-19 test, LETA reported August 24.
The President of the European Parliament, David Maria Sassoli, will pay an official visit to Latvia from 18 to 19 August as part of a visit to all three Baltic States to mark the thirtieth anniversary of their restoration of independence.
The coalition might still extend the final date of the transition period after which employers will be able to dismiss employees without a Covid-19 certificate, Latvian Radio reported August 16.
On Wednesday, the Saeima excluded the Law on Vaccination lottery from the agenda for the August 4 meeting, newswire LETA said.
The draft law on compulsory vaccination in certain professions has reached the Saeima. At the moment, Members have very different views on such a solution, but discussions in Parliament on this law could start on August 4, Latvian Television reported July 20.
The speakers of all three Baltic national parliaments are attending a meeting in Latvia July 8 and 9, where issues relating to the economy, security and environment of the region will be discussed. The surge in illegal immigration from Belarus to Lithuania will also be spoken about.
A majority of the Saeima Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee agreed to initiate an infringement case against the Saeima deputy Aldis Gobzems at the request of five deputies, Latvian Radio reported July 5.
The Riga Regional Court on July 2 decided to remand MP Jānis Ādamsons (Harmony party), suspected of spying for Russia, in custody, the LETA newswire learned from the court.
On May 27 the Saeima rejected the proposed amendments to the Law on the Circulation of Alcoholic Drinks, which would include the amount of calories on the packaging of these drinks.
On Thursday, May 20, the Saeima renewed the mandate of former Economics Minister Jānis Vitenbergs (National Alliance).
The world championship in hockey will start Friday, May 21. Saeima will decide on Thursday whether, contrary to the advice of epidemiologists, viewers will be allowed to watch hockey games in person, Latvian Television reported.
A majority of the Saeima Criminal Policy Sub-Committee on Tuesday, May 11, rejected proposals to define hate crimes directed against sexual orientation more precisely in the law. The proposal to count crime against sexual orientation as an aggravating circumstance was also rejected.
On Thursday, the Saeima supported amendments to the Covid-19 Infection Management Law, which requires Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš to instruct the responsible minister to remove the Vaccination Project Bureau by June 1.