On Monday 15 February, during a meeting with Andris Piebalgs, the EU Commissioner for Development, members of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the European Affairs Committee of the Parliament of Latvia (Saeima) expressed their confidence that the EU Commissioner nominated by Latvia will make a positive contribution in shaping EU’s common foreign policy. At the same time, members of the Saeima expressed their hope that Piebalgs’s activities in his new position will promote understanding about the importance of development policy also in Latvia. 

Speaker of the Saeima indicated that the decision to host the NATO PA was adopted by the Saeima back in 2005; by organising this event we are affirming our commitment to our NATO partners. G. Daudze explained that it is a possibility to attract international attention to Latvia. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO, as well as 400 representatives from NATO member states and associate countries will attend the event. Approximately 1,000 people are expected to visit Riga in the framework of the Session. 

Speaker of the Saeima indicated that the decision to host the NATO PA was adopted by the Saeima back in 2005; by organising this event we are affirming our commitment to our NATO partners. G. Daudze explained that it is a possibility to attract international attention to Latvia. Anders Fogh Rasmussen, Secretary General of NATO, as well as 400 representatives from NATO member states and associate countries will attend the event. Approximately 1,000 people are expected to visit Riga in the framework of the Session. 

On Thursday, 28 January, the Saeima on the second and final reading adopted a law which ratifies the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

At an extraordinary plenary sitting on Thursday 21 January, the Saeima adopted a resolution charging the Cabinet of Ministers with the task of borrowing funds as part of the international loan programme. 

The Saeima website now contains a link to topical information about the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s (PA) 2010 Spring Session that will be held from 28 May until 1 June 2010 in Riga.

On 11 December 2009, the Saeima members at a workshop with NGO representatives focussed on new opportunities for EU citizens to participate in the EU decision-making process and invited inhabitants to actively use this new opportunity provided by the Treaty of Lisbon and propose new legislative initiatives.

The Saeima Presidium and heads of committees and parliamentary groups decided at a special meeting on 3 December that the Saeima will become actively involved in the EU legislative process by using the opportunities provided by the European Union (EU) Treaty of Lisbon.

On Tuesday, 1 December, the Parliament of Latvia (Saeima) at the second reading adopted the State Budget for 2010 and budget-related draft laws, which were submitted by the government. 

On Friday, 27 November, in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Baltic Assembly (BA) 2009 prizes for literature, the arts and science were awarded.