Strongly condemning Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and the terror and inhumane violence against the Ukrainian population, members of the Saeima have sent a letter to the French President and the Parliament urging to consider denying entry and residence in France to athletes from the aggressor countries – Russia and Belarus. The initiative comes from the Sports Subcommittee, and it was signed by 80 MPs. 

To guarantee national security, including the prevention and timely averting of threats to a democratic state, on Thursday, 11 January, the Saeima adopted in the final reading urgent draft law on the transfer of ownership of the so-called Moscow House in Riga to the State of Latvia. 

Smoking, buying tobacco products, as well as selling them will not be allowed for persons under the age of 20. These restrictions will also apply to tobacco substitute products, herbal smoking products, electronic smoking devices and refill containers. This is provided for by amendments to the law, which were adopted by the Saeima in the final reading on Thursday, 11 January. The ban will come into force on 1 January 2025. To date, these products were available to persons aged 18 and over. 

A van previously used by the Latvian Parliament has departed for Ukraine to bring gifts collected in a Christmas charity event for boarding school children in Yablunivka, Chernihiv Oblast. Afterwards, the van will be handed over to Ukraine to ensure the rotation of troops to the front line.

On Thursday, 21 December, the Saeima adopted the Resolution on the return of illegally displaced Ukrainian children from the territory of Russia and Belarus to Ukraine.

On Tuesday, 19 December, the Saeima, the European Commission, and the European Parliament Liaison Office in Latvia signed a Memorandum of Understanding on strategic partnership. The aim of the Memorandum is to jointly raise awareness and educate society about important matters concerning Latvia’s membership in the European Union (EU), promote broader public participation in EU-related discussions, and inform about the role of national parliaments in EU-level decision-making.

Latvia and Slovenia are close allies, especially in strengthening European security, both by supporting Ukraine and by strengthening the common security area in the long term. This was emphasised by the Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa, on Monday, 18 December, meeting with the President of the Republic of Slovenia Nataša Pirc Musar. 

The return of each Ukrainian child kidnapped by Russia is an urgent issue to be resolved without delay. We must be relentless and continue our fight to return each child back to their homeland, underlined Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), on Friday, 15 December, at the meeting of the PACE Bureau ad hoc Committee on the situation with Ukrainian children. 

On Thursday, December 14, the Saeima amendments to the law “On Police”, according to which as of 1 January 2024 the municipal police will have to be operational in all local governments. The amendments specify the form of establishment of the municipal police, as the obligation to establish it is already laid down in the Local Government Law.

Voting in municipal referendums until the introduction of the electronic voter register will be possible through registration envelopes. This is introduced by the Saeima on Thursday, 14 December, in the final reading of the amendments to the Local Government Referendum Law. In order to allow residents to participate in decision-making in local governments and influence the work of the council in the interests of local residents, as of 1 September 2024, the residents have the opportunity to propose local government referendums.