Latvian Political Monitor

Day No. 74 in the prime minister's seat = Safe elections; PVD will check grains; Skola2030 changes A very long Cabinet meeting with loaded issues. This time, the proposals submitted by ministers were of inadequate quality, but it was a choice to finally make a decision with longer discussions in the Cabinet. We adopted: 1. We will check 🇷🇺 grains in transit = we strengthened amendments to finally allow PVD to carry out checks. Thanks for such a quick reaction @uldisaugulis and @Zemkopibas_min for arranging the documents. Here, 🇺🇦 services and experts will help (we agreed with the 🇺🇦 prime minister) to identify stolen 🇺🇦 grains. The Ministry of Agriculture must sign a contract with the DEFRA laboratory like 🇱🇹, and implement immediate testing procedures. We are moving forward with the rest of the work. 2. We adopted amendments to SKOLA2030 to finally bring clarity for students, parents, teachers, and educational institutions. We reached an agreement. @IIndriksone is one of the TOP3 tasks. • Natural sciences, reading, and mathematics skills are declining sharply. The curve is rapidly downward. • In this school year, at least one test in each subject can be corrected. • We will abandon the mandatory weighting of summative assessments. From this school year. • Significant change – in 9th grade there will be a centralized exam in natural sciences. There will be no 20% threshold. It will not affect admission to 10th grade. • We are bringing back the French language exam as a centralized elective. From this school year. • The requirement for high school students to take at least one advanced-level exam is cancelled. It can be done voluntarily. • Threshold for exams. I also personally support keeping the 20% threshold. We leave this issue for the next government to assess. • The schedule of state tests for the 2026/2027 school year has been approved. 3. We adopted to move forward with amendments to universities to stop "pseudo" students that increase migrants. Migration control in universities. We listened to the Ministry of Education and Science, discussed. We listened to the Association of Private Universities. The system needs to be organized, but all sides must be heard. Approved to move forward to the Saeima. 4. The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development @Edgars_T has done a huge job in 4 months coordinating the development of IT systems for the 15th Saeima elections. Now the systems have passed all tests and have been approved at the Cabinet meeting and handed over to the CVK for implementation. The mark for the done work will be given on election day.

Day No. 72 in the prime minister's chair (Monday) — 🇷🇺 NO to grain; STOP to migration 🌾 NO TO RUSSIAN GRAIN The government is unanimous and determined — we will use all available tools to stop the flow of Russian grain through Latvia. ➖️ We will repeatedly increase tariffs/rail infrastructure fees for 🇷🇺 grain transport. They must be high enough to significantly cool the desire to bring Russian grain through Latvia. (our actions are limited by the need for coordination with the EU) ➖️ We are closely coordinating with 🇱🇹 Lithuania, 🇪🇪 Estonia and 🇺🇦 Ukraine to make it effective ➖️ Today I am in contact with the Baltic prime ministers to reach a unified position. ➖️ This is a joint government decision. Tomorrow we will move the matter to the Cabinet of Ministers. ➖️ We expect experts from 🇺🇦 Ukraine and 🇬🇧 the UK soon to jointly begin inspections of grain cargoes. Stolen grain from Ukraine will not pass through our ports! Specific tasks for ministries: 🚛 Ministry of Transport — prepare the relevant government decision and assess the possibility of reducing domestic freight tariffs for Latvian farmers during harvest. 🌾 Ministry of Agriculture — ensure grain inspections. 🌍 Ministry of Foreign Affairs — reach a unified Baltic position on this matter. 👮 Ministry of the Interior — if stolen Ukrainian grain is found, services must act immediately - action plan. ⚓ For Kozlovskis and Augulis — ensure that Latvian ports give priority to accepting 🇱🇻 Latvian grain. 🏥 HOSPITAL NETWORK REFORM We discussed this issue repeatedly in government. ➖️ The government has already made its decision. ZZS's demand to change it is not supportable. ➖️ We will discuss specific implementation details of the reform separately. ➖️ The matter was considered in a long and detailed meeting. A break was taken, an agreement was reached — at that time it was symbolically confirmed by the joint selfie of Valainis and Hosams. ➖️ The harsh State Audit Office report on the hospital network was available to all and served as one of the bases for the Cabinet's decision. ➖️ This reform is one of the priority works the health minister has done. 🎓 EDUCATION — CHANGES MUST BE THOUGHTFUL If asked about education reforms — my position is clear: there will be no rushed changes. ➖️ This week we will consider the matter in the Cabinet of Ministers. ➖️ Rules must be clear for students, parents, and teachers alike. ➖️ Indriksone has prepared the work and done her homework, but we must reach a compromise that suits teachers, students, and schools. ➖️ I will definitely include this work in her TOP 3 list of accomplishments if all coalition partners agree ➖️ Children must be given the opportunity to correct grades. We can all make mistakes, and everyone should have a chance to correct their error. 🧪 Science exam — I support it. Latvia needs many more specialists and workers in these sectors. From the next school year we support its introduction. ➖️ Reforms are needed, but they cannot be introduced at the beginning of the school year just because elections are approaching. ➖️ The assessment system also needs improvement, but it must be done thoughtfully and in a timely manner. 🛑 MIGRATION My position — much stricter order is needed on migration. ➖️ The report is planned to be considered by the government on 22 September. ➖️ The Ministry of the Interior must do its homework this week so the document can be properly considered by the government. 🙏 NEPAL DISASTER At the end of the day — a prayer service at Riga Cathedral for the Latvian residents affected by the Nepal disaster. Our thoughts are with their families and loved ones. 🇱🇻🙏

Some people here reproach me - you yourself were in the Saeima when the 'golden visas' were introduced, but now you play the big migration opponent. So I asked AI and look what it answered me. And that was still in times when the mass invasion of Muslims and other towelheads had not begun. https://t.co/2M8Eyzgorj

@realNepareizais I think it's a very good idea

Day No.69 in the prime ministerial chair - September 1st, School reform, VILKATIS against immigrants, Restored electricity, VILKATIS2 September 1st - students return, homework returns to parents, traffic jam season returns SCHOOL REFORM - we will not pursue rapid changes, education needs stability. Chemistry and physics must return, opportunity to correct one grade should be given. The government adopted a school funding model, more flexible funding allocation for salaries. VILKATIS - migrants are deterred at the border. ~480 attempts were repelled, 4 transporters detained, 2 tunnels found. 63 fence sections damaged in the storm. VILKATIS is extended for another month. ST has restored electricity to all storm victims, 9 crews are going to help 🇱🇹 to connect the remaining 11k disconnected households. The government adopted amendments to compensate the monthly electricity connection fee (5-10€ for apartments and 15-35€ for private houses) for all who had power outages over 72 hours. The Ministry of Climate and Energy approved an improved support program for heating modernization. From now on, you can keep the old system as a safety alternative in crisis conditions if you install a heat pump, batteries, modern pellet boiler, etc. Support for 3+ Honor Families increases from 70 to 85%. VILKATIS2 - task for the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence to come up with a proposal for a month-long operation to address illegal migration within Latvia, both pseudo-students and illegal migrants in employment.

Forgive me, I clearly said at the coalition meeting that I am ready to lead the political coordination discussion between factions, the time is set for Friday at 12:00, Dombrava accepted at Monday's meeting. If it is not coordinated among officials, we will coordinate politically on Friday. It is a basic Cabinet rules requirement, there must be at least the FM, TM and definitely the Chancellery of the Cabinet coordination in order to move forward to the Cabinet. That was not and has not been. I think it is a very constructive and rational proposal to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

At the coalition meeting I clearly said that I am ready to lead the political coordination discussion between the factions, the time is set for Friday at 12:00, Dombrava accepted at Monday's meeting. If it is not coordinated among officials, we will coordinate politically on Friday. There is a basic rule of the Cabinet of Ministers procedure, there must be at least the approval of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Justice and definitely the State Chancellery, so that we can move it to the Cabinet. That was not and has not been. I think it is a very constructive and rational proposal to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.

Sorry, I said clearly at the coalition meeting, I am ready to lead the political coordination discussion between factions, time set for Friday 12:00, Dombrava accepted at Monday's meeting. If it is not coordinated among officials, we will coordinate politically on Friday. There is an elementary Cabinet of Ministers procedure rule, at least FM, TM and definitely the Chancellery coordination must be in place so we can move to the Cabinet. That was not and has not been. I think it is a very constructive and rational proposal to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

To all shouters before shouting from headlines about migration, I suggest you read! The government's and my position has never changed regarding stopping uncontrolled migration. Illegal and "legally" migrants with fabricated papers have no place in Latvia. I am for deeds and action, not cheap, childish @VL_TBLNNK shouting for the sake of shouting. I expect from @janisdombrava a QUALITATIVELY prepared migration control document. I already yesterday scheduled a political ministers' meeting for Friday 12:00 to help sort it out with ministers. If Dombrava is not ready to simply prepare a document for consideration by the Council of Ministers, then he can only blame his own inability to be a good minister.

@GalGatis @ArtursButans @VL_TBLNNK @janisdombrava Proposed? Friday at the joint ministerial meeting to discuss where the problem areas are... it is clear that NA is a kindergarten, which essentially does not want to solve the problem, but only shouts 'migrants are coming'

I thought you were an educated, wise and knowledgeable Saeima deputy whom I respect, but now you need to understand some obvious things. The minister must be able to push his draft law through the Cabinet of Ministers. So far there has been absolutely no political discussion or raising of the issue from Dombrava's side, or any involvement of other ministers. Yesterday I clearly placed a thematic Cabinet meeting where I offered to go through problematic issues politically with all ministers to coordinate - do you mean to claim that wasn't the case? Or do you simply want to continue this kindergarten here? I am for working, I am for solutions, not for cheap political theater at the level of a marginal opposition party.

I thought you were an educated, wise, and knowledgeable Saeima deputy whom I respect, but now even some self-evident things need to be understood. A minister must be able to move his draft law through the Cabinet of Ministers. So far there has been absolutely no political discussion or raising of the problem by Dombrava, nor any involvement of other ministers. Yesterday I clearly placed a thematic Cabinet meeting where I offered to politically go through problematic issues with all ministers to coordinate them – do you want to claim that didn't happen? Or do you simply want to continue the kindergarten here? I am for working, I am for solutions, not cheap political theater at the level of a marginal opposition party.

DAY No. 68 in the prime minister's chair — Dombrava's imitated MIGRANT struggle @VL_TBLNNK hysteria about immigration sometimes looks like a spoiled kindergartener. Here is everything you need to know about @janisdombrava's 'theater battle' with immigration. 🎭 Apparently Dombrava is not interested in a real result in restricting migration, but in loud and pointless shouting. It is a pity that their own voters are fooled in this way. Interior Minister Dombrava apparently still has not understood what it means to be a minister and how work happens in the Cabinet of Ministers. I would suggest his more experienced NA colleagues — @KasparsGerhards, @IIndriksone or Mūrniece — explain what it means to prepare and submit an informative report (IZ) to the government. ❓ How do Dombrava and NA even imagine pushing a FULLY UNSYNCHRONIZED issue to a government meeting? Just because they felt like it? 📸 The screenshot from the MK TAP portal shows everything as clear as day: ➡️ Dombrava's informative report was submitted on Monday, 31 August, at 12:59 — only about 1.5 hours before the coalition meeting; ➡️ the document is completely unsynchronized with 14 institutions — not with the Ministry of Justice, Finance, Economy, Foreign Affairs, Welfare, Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Health, the State Chancellery, @darbadeveji, @LTRK_uznemeji, etc. Simply coming in, throwing a document into the government and then announcing that 'everyone is against fighting immigration' is dull, cheap and populist voter fishing with no basis. 🤝 At the coalition meeting we all agreed that the document must be coordinated, and this Friday a special political meeting is being organized to agree on its content point by point. Apparently even that seems superfluous to Dombrava, if noise is more important than results. ⚠️ And the objections are not formal — they are very substantial. For example, Dombrava suddenly imagined suing TWO European Commission commissioners and proposing amendments to an EU directive. The Foreign Ministry has significant objections to that. The interior minister cannot simply bypass all Cabinet working procedures, throw a document unsynchronized with anyone into the government and demand an immediate decision. Many ministers had not even had time to familiarize themselves with the document today. 📌 Moreover, there is no talk of some 'stuck coordination'. There has not even been a normal coordination cycle! The document must first be prepared properly, go through coordination and be brought to a government decision. Only then can one say that someone is blocking it. Dombrava simply did not do his homework. The facts are simple: 1️⃣ A project can be submitted to the government agenda if it is submitted by Wednesday evening. This project was already submitted on Monday, 31 August, at 12:59, shortly before the coalition meeting. 2️⃣ After clarifying the project, it was not sent to ministries for a repeated opinion. 3️⃣ The argument about delay does not hold up — the report has had almost three months since the beginning of June to be prepared. 🎯 If we really want to restrict illegal migration, we need results, prepared decisions and professional work, not loud slogans and political theater.

@andrislov that the fact that obtaining professional rights is heavily exaggerated is a fact - 3500€ is the minimum that investing in rights costs - way too expensive.

Day No. 62 (Thursday) in the prime minister's seat — AirBaltic address in the Saeima and the visit of the Lithuanian PM Who makes the prime minister's daily video? 🏛️ Thursday began with an address in the Saeima The speech was devoted to the vote on @airBaltic. I emphasized that this vote is vitally important for the airline — it is effectively the last chance to escape the debt burden that, until now, was not accumulated by attracting 380 million € in financing during the JV government and E. Siliņa's leadership. The positive signal — private financiers, not the state, are involved in attracting financing for AirBaltic. AirBaltic's future will no longer rest only on the state's shoulders. Thank you to the Saeima deputies who acted in a state-minded way by voting in support of saving AB, so that it can finally sort out its finances and debts before attracting a strategic investor. On Thursday, the first foreign visit of the Lithuanian PM took place — the new PM @mindaugassink visited Latvia. As is usual among Baltic neighbors, we discussed all our common "Baltics" 😉 — airBaltic, Rail Baltica, Via Baltica, as well as other common issues for Latvia and Lithuania. 🛡️ We particularly emphasized the common challenges: ➖️illegal migration; ➖️security on our external border; ➖️Latvia and Lithuania cooperation in border protection. 🚁 We had also planned to go together to the Latvia–Belarus border, but the weather made adjustments — due to heavy rain we could not fly by helicopter. I was ready to go by car, but the Lithuanian colleague chose not to go this time. No matter — next time. There are still plenty of border issues to address together. 🇱🇻🤝🇱🇹 The closer Latvia and Lithuania cooperate, the stronger the entire Baltics.