Latvian Political Monitor

How does cooperation with businesses work in administering tax and duty collection, and what challenges do customs officers face in today's geopolitical conditions, but most importantly – how could this work be further improved. That is what I discussed today with the management of @vid_gov. https://t.co/bGkYCkkipi

Less bureaucracy, faster services and a modern state administration – these are the concrete results we are working on together with the State Land Service. Upcoming improvements: ✅ from 1 October, information about shelters will be available on the portal https://t.co/XnsMopgSXs, providing residents with more convenient access to civil protection information; ✅ with the 'Vietvaris' project, the coordination of place names and addresses will be shortened from the current 2–3 months to about 10 days. At the same time, we continue to improve the unified building registration process and strengthen the capacity of @ZemesDienests, developing modern infrastructure in the regions. The State Land Service has proven that with innovation, digitalization and high cybersecurity standards it is possible to create more efficient public services for the benefit of society.

ℹ️ Since July 1, the first fully automated court process in the compulsory enforcement warning procedure has been in operation in Latvia. In simple and undisputed cases it allows decisions to be made faster, while judges can devote more time to hearing complex cases. The Court Administration (@tiesuadm) has outlined the next priorities for court digitalization. After the successful completion of the second development phase of e-case, we continue to improve the Court Information System, strengthen cyber security and develop digital services. E-case is not just a technology project. It is a change that makes court work more efficient, services more accessible and strengthens public trust in the rule of law. At the same time, we continue to strengthen the resilience of the judicial system: ➡️ we are improving cyber security solutions; ➡️ developing solutions for the continuity of court work; ➡️ continuing to implement the reform of court assistants. The goal is a modern, secure and efficient judicial system that works for the people.

A competitive economy starts with a predictable legal environment! ⚖️ The Ministry of Justice is advancing solutions that reduce bureaucracy, ensure a clear regulatory framework, and strengthen the competitiveness of Latvian companies. With the Confederation of Latvian Employers, there are clear shared priorities for improving the business environment: ✅ Implementation of EU labour law directives without additional administrative burden beyond EU requirements; ✅ Proportionate competition law regulation, ensuring a balance between effective supervision and business development; ✅ A more efficient administrative process, including introducing the principle 'pay faster, pay less' to reduce administrative burden. A predictable regulatory framework and close work with social partners are the foundation for a stronger investment environment, greater enterprise competitiveness, and sustainable growth of the Latvian economy.

Currently intensive work is underway to streamline the procurement system in Latvia, reducing state spending in the long term, preventing corruption opportunities, and also reducing bureaucracy. It is not normal if buying the needed item simply by going to a store turns out to be more advantageous than conducting a procurement.

As they say, you'll be remembered for the rules you broke, not for the good work done. I'm not anyone's lawyer here, but there are connections in the Ogre and Valmiera scandals. Both cities thrive while others languish. I'd love to hear other opinions on this. https://t.co/F4rDD0YEZy

@Vinotava Please don't cast me in the role of some lawyer or lobbying, but I find it very suspicious that the obvious positive growth of two cities (Valmiera, Ogre) is being torn apart by bureaucrats because the bureaucratic letter of the law was not observed. Does no one care about the achieved goals and development anymore?

During its work, the working group led by Jānis Endziņš has reached various interesting and useful conclusions that will help to organize the state administration, making it more efficient, as well as more friendly to citizens and business.

Our goal is not to demand ever more documents, but to ensure that public services are understandable, accessible and people-oriented. The state should be support, not a bureaucratic obstacle! What do the amendments mean in practice? ✅ If a child was born abroad and adoption or paternity was later established in Latvia, it will no longer be necessary to prove that such changes cannot be made in the child's country of birth. Fewer documents, faster process. ✅ Adopters will be able to submit an application for re-registration of the child's birth fact at any Latvian civil registry office, not only in Riga. ✅ Wider possibilities to change the name or surname of a minor child born abroad, for example by assigning the surname of one of the parents or renouncing a second name not used in everyday life, even if the child's country of birth does not make such changes. ✅ The procedure for concluding a marriage is also being clarified, making the regulation clearer and more uniform.

@MStakis @Progresivie @janisdombrava Steven Seagal was also a beloved martial arts actor who left an indelible positive mark on the film industry. Today he is a cog in the Russian propaganda machine. And what else is a cog in the hybrid war, Mārtiņ? That's just it, parallels… 🤝

⚖️ The future of Latvia's justice system is built by people. Therefore, investment in young lawyers is investment in a stronger state! Today concluded the second Summer School for Young Lawyers, where 28 law students spent a week learning how justice policy is made, how decisions are prepared, and how public administration works daily. It is important to me that young lawyers see not only laws but also the responsibility behind every decision. Professional, knowledgeable, and brave lawyers strengthen the rule of law, national security, and public trust in the state. I am especially pleased that one of last year's participants is now already our colleague at the Ministry of Justice. This shows that this initiative delivers real results – helping to discover talent and attract the next professionals to public administration. Thank you to all participants for their interest, questions, and desire to improve. I wish that this week becomes the start of a successful career in Latvia's justice system! 🇱🇻⚖️

In a month and a half, we have achieved significant progress in all three government priorities in the justice sector! 🚀 Today, at the Cabinet of Ministers' action meeting on the implementation of the government's priority work, I reported on the results achieved in all three priority areas of the ministry. 👇 ✅ DONE: As early as tomorrow, 10 July, our developed regulation will come into force, which for the first time establishes a clear procedure for how the state will compensate losses caused by military incidents in peacetime. 2️⃣ We are advancing the judicial system reform. The Saeima has supported in the first reading amendments to the Law “On Judicial Power”, which provide for more efficient court work, the transition to the court lawyer model and a stronger role for the Judicial Council. 3️⃣ We continue unwavering support for Ukraine. We are advancing changes to the legal framework for supporting Ukrainian civilians in Latvia and strengthening cooperation with Ukraine's justice system on its path to the European Union. The work does not stop. @tieslietas we continue work on the next stages of the reform to strengthen national security, modernize the judicial system and ensure consistent Latvian support for Ukraine.

⚖️ The justice system must work for people – faster, smarter and more efficiently. Together with Prosecutor General Armīns Meisters, we agreed on joint work on significant changes that will strengthen Latvia's justice system. 📌 New Criminal Procedure Law. Our goal is simpler processes, less bureaucracy, and faster justice for people. Prosecutor resources must be concentrated where they create the greatest added value – in the investigation of the most complex and socially significant cases. 📈 Justice system as an economic driver. The legal environment must promote investment and entrepreneurship. Therefore, together with entrepreneurs and representatives of the justice sector, we will work on proposals to strengthen Latvia's competitiveness. 🛡️ Stronger cybersecurity. We will review the regulatory framework so that highly qualified cybersecurity experts, or 'white hackers,' can help protect state and public interests in a clear and lawful manner. 🇱🇻 The goal is one – a modern, effective, and results-oriented justice system that strengthens both justice and Latvia's security and economy.

Security is not just a defense issue. It is also a strong judicial system, trustworthy institutions and the state's ability to ensure due process under any circumstances. That is why we are currently: 👉 strengthening the independence and capacity of the judiciary by introducing the institution of court lawyers and expanding the role of the Council of Justice; 👉 reducing the workload of the Latgale District Court by distributing part of the immigration-related cases among district courts across Latvia; 👉 improving the regulatory framework so that safe and lawful Saeima elections can be held even in the event of a security threat. Today, we discussed these and other issues of the development of the justice sector with the President Edgars Rinkēvičs.

Cabinet out-of-town meetings are an opportunity to be closer to people, municipalities and entrepreneurs, so that decisions are based on the real situation, not just documents. Today valuable work in Latgale, Lūznava. https://t.co/EWoBzfyeXZ

Latvia and the United Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the justice sector, strengthening cooperation in the protection of human rights, mutual legal assistance, processes for the transfer of convicted persons, and support for Ukraine's justice system reforms. 🇱🇻🇬🇧 https://t.co/3P0rggNuWw

It is important to ensure that the public procurement system is understandable to everyone, and that there are no longer situations where it is cheaper to simply shop in a store than to do so in the Electronic Procurement System.