On Thursday, 2 February, the Saeima approved in the final reading urgent amendments that extend the deadline for the dissolution of the free port authorities of Riga and Ventspils.

Latvia and Poland have historical ties, and our security is closely interlinked. Strategic cooperation between Poland and the Baltic States is particularly important in the new geopolitical situation. This was underlined by Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, when he received Andrzej Duda, President of Poland, at the Saeima on Wednesday, 1 February. The President of Poland is in Latvia on an official visit.

Since its establishment 14 years ago, the Saeima Visitor and Information Centre has received almost 26 thousand visitors.

On Friday, 27 January, the Sports Committee of the Saeima Education, Culture and Science Committee condemned the statement by the International Olympic Committee, announcing that Russian and Belarusian athletes should not be banned from participating in international competitions and that they should instead be allowed to compete as neutral athletes without representing their country or sports federation.

On Friday, 27 January, while addressing the heads of Latvian diplomatic missions, Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, thanked them for their tremendous contribution in representing Latvian national interests abroad. Foreign affairs have become significantly more important for the public over the last year. We have all felt that the events happening outside Latvian borders impact every single person. This time, however, has also provided the Baltic States, including Latvia, with the opportunity to become a voice that is increasingly heard and that can impact international events more, highlighted Speaker Smiltēns.

“We realise the pressure that Moldova is facing due to Russia’s aggressive foreign policy, and we appreciate Chișinău’s resilience against Russia’s manipulative actions and the ability to continue implementing reforms despite this,” highlighted Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), while addressing her peers in Strasbourg.

“If we want to safeguard our values, the rule of law, our way of life, we must be aware that our battlefield includes raising awareness of Russia’s aggression among the wider international community, and support for holding Russia accountable. The unity of our foreign policy objectives and actions is a matter of national security. Foreign policy is not only the responsibility of diplomats. We all serve as diplomats", said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, January 26, during the annual parliamentary foreign policy debate, reminding that freedom, independence and democracy are never to be taken for granted.

“Our response to Russian aggression in Ukraine must prevent any evil illusion of impunity. Otherwise, it may create new wars and violent crises,” stressed Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Head of the Latvian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), on Thursday, 26 January, in Strasbourg.

Parliamentary diplomacy is a key in solving such complex challenges as international terrorism, refugee and migrant crises, both “frozen” and “hot” conflicts, and the institutional crisis — truly global problems, requiring multi-faceted, comprehensive response," said the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Rihards Kols, at the annual foreign policy debate on Thursday, 26 January, stressing that crises have made us realise that we are now living in a world shaped by policy of brute force.

Security, sustainability and public engagement — three priority areas in foreign policy on European Union issues were highlighted in the annual foreign policy debate in the Parliament on Thursday, 26 January, by Andris Sprūds, Chair of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima.