On Thursday, 12 June, the Saeima adopted, in the final reading, a law prohibiting travel to Russia and Belarus for a defined group of public administration officials and Members of the Saeima. The Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, responsible for the draft law, had previously emphasised that under the current circumstances, travel to Russia and Belarus is extremely dangerous. 

On Tuesday, 10 June, the Saeima hosted a presentation of a study prepared by its Analytical Service, titled “Towards More Efficient Public Administration: How to Harness the Potential of Artificial Intelligence?”. The study concluded that artificial intelligence (AI) technologies could significantly enhance the efficiency of Latvia’s public administration. However, successful integration requires a well-defined strategy, the necessary skills, and a trustworthy data environment.

The Chairs of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian parliaments have issued a joint statement expressing support for Ukraine’s path to full membership in the European Union (EU) by 1 January 2030, as well as for Ukraine’s progress towards NATO accession. The statement also includes a commitment to promote Ukraine’s participation in the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF).

On Tuesday, 3 June, during her visit to Sarajevo, Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa met with senior officials of Bosnia and Herzegovina, emphasising Latvia’s support for the country on its path to the European Union and NATO. She stressed that the enlargement process must be based on merit. “We are not here to lecture you — we have come to offer our support. You are not alone on this path,” said the Speaker of the Saeima.

A delegation of Members of the Saeima has inaugurated a modular primary healthcare centre in the village of Stepkivka, Mykolaiv Oblast, Ukraine. The centre was established in cooperation with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the World Health Organization, with funding provided by the Latvian state. The total investment amounts to 200,000 EUR.

A delegation of Members of the Saeima has arrived in Ukraine to reaffirm steadfast support for the country in its fight against the aggressor and to gain first-hand insight into Latvia’s assistance projects in the war-affected nation.

From 26 to 28 May, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica visited Moldova as part of a fact-finding mission for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (hereinafter – the Assembly) in preparation for a monitoring report. The aim of the working visit was to assess Moldova’s compliance with the commitments it undertook upon joining the Council of Europe in the areas of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

To reorganise the national crisis management system, the Saeima on Thursday, 29 May, adopted amendments to several laws in the third and final reading. The amendments designate the government as the primary authority responsible for crisis management and the mitigation of threats, and provide for the establishment of a Crisis Management Centre.

Micro-enterprises will now be eligible to benefit from the simplified application of value added tax (VAT), according to amendments to the Micro-Enterprise Tax Law adopted by the Saeima in the third and final reading on Thursday, 29 May.