On Friday, 14 March, in Rome, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, addressed the participants of an international conference What Europe Stands For – Growth, Jobs and Rights: Will the European Union Rise to the Occasion? In her address, Speaker Āboltiņa emphasised that under conditions of global competition, it is difficult to imagine a competitive Europe with many small currencies and with just as many competitive strategies. In order to remain competitive, small countries like ours have to integrate their economies, and by virtue of being a member of the euro area, we are far less vulnerable to outside economic pressures.

The amendments to the Energy Law which the Saeima adopted in the third and final reading on Thursday, 13 March, envisage that the consumer gas market in Latvia will not be opened before April 2017.

On Thursday, 6 March, the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia adopted the Statement on Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine declaring that the Saeima strongly condemns the Russian Federation’s military aggression in Ukraine and stressing Latvia’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the legitimate power of the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine.

On Monday, 3 March, the European Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima adopted the Joint Statement on Russia’s Aggression in Ukraine strongly condemning the Russian Federation’s military aggression in Ukraine and stressing Latvia’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as the legitimate power of the Verhovna Rada of Ukraine. Both committees also called upon the Presidium of the Saeima to convene an extraordinary plenary sitting during which the parliament as a whole would also adopt such a statement.

Latvia strongly stands for the territorial integrity of Ukraine and is of the opinion that any measures aimed at splitting Ukrainian society and questioning the territorial integrity of the country must be condemned in the strongest terms possible.

“In these Olympics you showed how strong Latvia is, how big and mighty we are. Not only do we have silver and bronze medals, I can say with full conviction that we have a team of gold,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, 27 February, when meeting the Latvian Olympic Team in the Saeima to congratulate them on their success at the XXII Winter Olympic Games in Sochi.

On Wednesday, 19 February, the European Affairs Committee and the Foreign Affairs Committee adopted the Statement on the situation in Ukraine stating that their deeply regret and strongly condemn the injuring and killing of civilians during clashes in Kiev. The responsible parties must be brought to justice. The Committees fully support the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia to provide medical care and cover related costs to ten injured Ukrainian protesters, and they urge the Cabinet of Ministers to expand the scope of medical assistance for the victims of violence in Ukraine.