Latvia will deport at least 1,167 Russian citizens who failed to comply with the immigration law and apply for permanent residence permits, the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs (PMLP) told LETA. Of the total, 789 are over 60 years old. Those subject to expulsion will have 30 days to leave Latvia if they fail…
Latvian Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins asserts that even if Ukraine regains control of all conquered territories, Russia will still remain a military threat to Europe, LETA reports. He argued that Russia’s government was rooted in imperialist ambitions and saw external enemies as a means to distract from domestic issues. Karins highlighted the changing security landscape…
Latvia’s Office of the Prosecutor General has fined the local LPG supplier, Latvijas Propana Gaze (LPG), and its co-owner, Anatolijs Cernihs, for attempted violation of international sanctions, LETA reports. The prosecutor banned LPG from making any transactions with Belarusian companies for one year. The sanctions violation involved iron and steel products. The prosecutor confiscated EUR…
Latvia’s President Edgars Rinkevics and Foreign Minister Krisjanis Karins strongly condemned the indiscriminate terrorist attacks by Palestinian group Hamas against Israeli citizens. They stressed that Israel had the right to defend its people. Latvia stands in solidarity with the people of Israel, Rinkevics stated. Karins insisted that the violence must stop. At the same time,…
Latvia’s Ministry of Finance plans to submit draft laws on the state budget for 2024 and budget plans for 2024-2026 to the parliament, the Saeima, on 3 November 2023, LETA reports. The government will discuss the budget at its next meeting. The new coalition government’s declaration pledges to carry out a “balanced social, environmental, and…
Latvian banks made a total profit of EUR 350.312mn in the first half of 2023, which was up 2.6 times from EUR 132.526mn in the corresponding period of 2022, according to data from the Bank of Latvia, LETA reports. The banking sector’s overall profit for the first six months of 2023 was higher than for…
Latvians will elect one more MEP in the next elections to the European Parliament in June 2024, LETA reports. Currently, Latvia has eight MEPs. The European Parliament approved the European Council’s proposal to increase the number of MEPs from 705 to 720 due to demographic changes.
Latvia’s New Unity, Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS), and Progressives have agreed on the distribution of seats in their new coalition government, LETA reports. New Unity will have eight, ZZS will have five, and the Progressives will have three seats in the new cabinet. The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is due to approve the…
Turkish-owned Liepaja Steel has abandoned plans to resume production at its steel plant in the Latvian city of Liepaja, LETA reports. The company will dismantle the plant’s steel melting furnace and move the machinery to Türkiye. Liepaja Steel failed to reach agreement with the Liepaja city council and the Liepaja Special Economic Zone (Liepajas SEZ)…