The Latvian parliament, the Saeima, is discussing proposed amendments that would stop recognising Russian education certificates obtained after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, LSM reports. Under the amendments proposed by the opposition National Alliance, education certificates issued in Russia after 24 February 2022 would no longer be recognised in Latvia. National Alliance MPs…
The Latvian government is unlikely to satisfy the Health Ministry’s request for EUR 153.3mn of additional funding for hospitals in the 2025 state budget, LSM reports. Health Minister Hosams Abu Meri said that the money was needed for human resources, medicines, infrastructure, emergency services, digitalisation, and data security. However, the government has listed external and…
Ukraine’s ambassador to Latvia, Anatolii Kutsevol, has asked the Latvian parliament, the Saeima, to pass a law to ban twin town agreements between Latvian municipalities and local governments in Russia and Belarus, LSM reports. In a letter to the parliament’s committee on public administration and local government, Kutsevol argued that such forms of cooperation were…
Latvia’s Central Election Commission (CVK) has proposed introducing new paper ballots for the municipal elections in summer 2025, LSM reports. The State Regional Development Agency (VRAA), which is in charge of the country’s voting system, notes that the existing paper ballots can be confusing for voters. CVK said that the new ballots would be simpler…
The municipal government of the Latvian capital, Riga, has terminated procurement for the maintenance of the city’s bridges in 2024-2029, LSM reports. After announcing a new tender for the contract, the cheapest offer was 43% more expensive than in the initial tender announced in spring 2024, when both bidders failed to meet the requirements. The…
Producer prices in Latvian industry declined by 2.6% in August 2024, compared to the same period of 2023, according to data from the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP), LSM reports. Prices declined by 12.7% in energy supply, 1.4% in mining and quarrying, and 0.6% in manufacturing, but increased by 5.3% in water supply and waste management….
The chairs of the European affairs committees of the parliaments of the Baltic States and Poland demanded that the EU stop importing LNG from Russia as soon as possible, LSM reported. In a joint letter, the committee chairs insisted that LNG terminals at EU ports should not be used to import gas from Russia. They…
The Latvian government will propose amendments that would allow soldiers and internal affairs officers to continue in service while receiving retirement pension, BNS reports. Also, the government will propose amendments allowing people aged over 40 years to join professional service in the military or internal affairs. At present, only citizens aged 18-40 years are eligible…
US engineering company KBR has signed a cooperation agreement with Latvia’s GI Terminal on a project to build a renewable aviation fuel plant at Latvia’s Port of Liepaja, LSM reports. Under the memorandum of understanding, KBR will provide engineering solutions and equipment for GI Terminal’s planned sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plant and CO2 liquefaction terminal…