Latvian Political Monitor

Day No. 84 in the prime minister's seat (FRIDAY, 25 Sept.) — before winter we need clear calculations, not scary headlines. I will always support Latvian entrepreneurs. I spoke at @Sadalestikls AURUM monthly meeting of Latvian exporting/manufacturing companies — a very positive impression, I had not expected such a large charge of positive energy — our entrepreneurs are so attractive, open, innovative and capable = super salespeople. Faith returns that we can move great mountains and improve the state's economy through export capacity. For example: @balticovolv will very soon become the European leader in egg production, having taken first place in Lithuania, already in the Baltics, acquiring companies in Scandinavia, Slovenia, etc. Excellent examples of how home producers have become export-capable companies. I would say the AURUM entrepreneurs' club is more attractive and energetic than BNI. 🔥 THERE IS ENOUGH HEATING FUEL. THE QUESTION IS THE PRICE. At the morning government action meeting we went through readiness for the heating season. KEM estimates — in the case of a mild or moderately cold winter, average heating costs could increase by 10–15%. For a small apartment that could be an additional 2–15 euros per month, for a private house — 20–40 euros. The situation will differ in each municipality. 🏙️ IN RIGA @RSiltums I SEE NO JUSTIFICATION FOR A 30% TARIFF INCREASE. Loud percentages are not enough — precise calculations are needed. First, cheaper “Latvenergo” (@Latvenergo) heat must be used, residual heat, market distortions must be eliminated and consumption reduced. By 16 October, the Ministry of Economics, Climate and Energy and the Ministry of Finance must submit a joint report: what has been done, how much each measure will save and what else is needed. Then we will decide on next steps. 🧾 ACCOUNTANTS POINT OUT 🇱🇻 2.8 BILLION EUR CIRCULATE WITHOUT ACCOUNTING. During the meeting with the Latvian Association of Accountants we discussed the practical side of state decisions. Accountants are the first to see where tax and accounting requirements work and where they only create new bureaucracy. It was suspicious that 43,000 company board managers themselves keep their company's accounts‼️ Here @vid_gov should pay attention to whether the shadow economy is hiding! Moreover, if the Moneyval report is finished, then FID should not think about how to remain AML supervisors and controllers in the current volume, and God forbid take over the same thing that VID is already doing! The budget cannot be put in order with a spreadsheet alone. The rules must be understandable and executable in a company on Monday morning. 🎙️ A DAY WITH 3x PRIME MINISTERIAL DEBATES. In an interview with @KNL_LTV1 (@JanisDomburs) I answered direct questions about the government's work, money, responsibility and what I am ready to do after the elections. Not all answers have to be convenient. It is the prime minister's duty to give them. I also took part in @DelfiLV's programme “Nākamais, lūdzi!”, @LatvijasTV's Latvian Television programme cycle “Partija fokusā”. This week many questions moved from “will we do it?” to “how and by what date?”. That is where real work begins.

✅ Today in the government we supported more efficient transfer of criminal proceedings between 🇪🇺 member states Achieving justice requires clear cooperation between states and protected human rights. If criminal proceedings for one criminal offence are conducted in several EU countries, it must be possible to agree where to continue the case. Parallel proceedings create unnecessary work for authorities and complicate the situation for the people involved. Today in the government we supported the amendments to the Criminal Procedure Law prepared by @Tieslietas, which will make the transfer of criminal proceedings between EU states clearer and help avoid duplication of proceedings. What do the changes provide? ⚖️ Greater opportunities to defend your rights. Victims, suspects and accused persons will have clearly defined rights to request the transfer of proceedings to another EU country and to express their opinion before the transfer request is sent. 🛡️ The possibility to appeal the decision. Those involved will be able to appeal the decision of the Latvian competent authority to agree to take over criminal proceedings from another EU country. 🤝 Clear responsibility of authorities. It will be precisely determined which Latvian authorities make decisions and ensure the transfer or takeover of proceedings. Our goal is to ensure that cooperation between states helps cases move forward and that people have understandable opportunities to defend their rights.

@EAkimovs Exactly what security protocol violation?

Registered unemployment in Vidzeme is lower than the Latvian average: 4.1% versus 4.6%. People are working. However, last year the average gross wage in Vidzeme was €365 per month lower than in the country as a whole. That is why our goal is more well-paid jobs in the regions. For the UNITED LIST, the priorities are clear: security and the economy. A secure state gives entrepreneurs confidence to invest. Orderly state finances allow investment in development. Our task is to ensure that investment and better-paid jobs also reach Vidzeme and other Latvian regions. A person should not have to leave their municipality to receive decent pay for their work. 💶 Video: LTV Vidzeme leaders' debate “Choose the Future!” (24.09.)

@guntars_h I join your opinion.

Day No. 79 (FRIDAY 18 Sept) — The new European MFF budget in the Saeima, meeting with security services 🎾 I opened the best padel sports centre in Latvia and all Europe – “LNK Industries” have invested more than €10 million of private money to host a world-class championship in Latvia, attracting the 300 best top-level athletes from around the world. I will always support our own entrepreneurs. This will certainly give a big push to the development of padel sport in Latvia. 🏛️ In the Saeima I went to the European Affairs Committee I explained to the parliament deputies the government's position in the negotiations in the European Council with leaders and the Commission on the new EU 7-year budget: ➖ This budget will be more challenging than any previous one, because negotiations take place when the EU economy is stagnating, there is the impact of the war caused by Russia, support for Ukraine, the eve of major political changes, as well as the impact of the Hormuz conflict on inflation and energy ➖ The paying countries, especially Germany, see no possibility to pay what is asked, while the receiving ones this time absolutely do not back down from their needs – the EU Commission and António Costa will have a very difficult time reaching an agreement by the end of the year ➖ I pointed out that Latvia suffers at least €1 billion per year, or due to the threat from the eastern neighbour, GDP is 1.9 percentage points weaker than the EU average, while inflation is 3.7 percentage points higher than the EU average. That will be €7 billion in 7 years, and in parallel Latvia spends the most on direct defence, borrowing “SAFE” money, which creates an even greater debt burden, while our direct military purchases warm the economies of Spain, Germany, Sweden and Finland ➖ Latvia historically receives smaller direct payments for farmers in Europe – this unfairly arose many years ago due to incorrectly made calculations. I remind about this every time I meet ➖ The new EU budget envelope is completely different than before, because the EU very cunningly packs together cohesion and agricultural funding, leaving its redistribution to each member state. The problem-solving is shifted to the national levels of 27 countries, not a centralized agreement as before. That means we in Latvia will have to agree very seriously and responsibly on the correct allocation of these funds ➖ Latvia currently unofficially has a calculated larger EU funds budget than the previous envelope, but when recalculated in nominal prices, it turns out that the new one is smaller! A serious fight lies ahead to win a fair result for Latvia, especially considering how much we invest in strengthening the EU's external border and security 🕵️‍♂️ I met with MIDD, SAB and VDD about the security situation in the country ➖ The main conclusion – especially German, but also Polish, French and other countries' societies are little informed about Russian threats and hybrid attacks, thus not paying enough attention to national investments in defence and support for Ukraine ➖ The loud rhetoric is mainly intended for internal, not international, communication. In Latvia, on the other hand, there is an overly informed and sensitive society that perceives this common background with a certain level of anxiety ➖ This is also where this imbalance arises between European leaders' desire to mobilise their societies, which indirectly affects Latvian people, increasing concerns ➖ The Russians are certainly ready to carry out various provocations, and the services do not rule out such a possibility – at present the services have no more specifics, and the threat level remains as before Our greatest attention is focused on security measures during the elections, so we have asked, and the Germans have agreed to send us fighter jets to additionally watch over our airspace 💪🇱🇻

@VeikoSpolitis @Valsts_drosiba @SAB_LV @prokuratura_LV @KNABinforme I'm really surprised how the former assistant of Ādamsons walked free, who himself admitted that Ādamsons was on "you" terms with the computer and that he wrote all the texts for the deputy. Then likely also the spy reports. Now first number in Kurzeme...

Day No. 78 (THURSDAY 17 Sept) — Meeting with US envoy John Coale and the Swedish ARCHER howitzer story; LIZDA 🤝 Meeting at the Cabinet of Ministers with the US D. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) envoy on Belarusian affairs, John Coale (@johnpcoale). So active, sharp-minded and with a good sense of humour – I was surprised to learn that he is already 80 years old. ➖ He had just returned from a meeting with Lukashenko, where, thanks to his efforts, a large number of political prisoners were released ➖ It was a very substantive conversation in which we discussed the situation in Belarus, the US role, the war in Ukraine and the issue of Russia and Ukraine's grain blockade ➖ I particularly highlighted Russia's organised hybrid attack with the flow of illegal migrants to the LV border through Belarus, in which special services participate and which they organise – I presented the latest figures and measures ➖ I stressed that US–Latvian economic relations cooperation must be changed and raised to a new level from 15th place into the TOP 5️⃣ – I mentioned the military industry, the energy sector and US cargo flows from Central Asia ➖ He promised to discuss the Latvian question with D. Trump 🛡️ The defence deal question on the ARCHER system from Sweden 🤷‍♂️ It is incomprehensible what motives drove the previous defence minister not to make a decision for 2 years on the purchase of the defence system and howitzers. To me it is a mystery, because if the decision had been made, we would already have had systems delivered that would fill a significant pillar of Latvia's critical defence plan. ➖ Because of the delayed and unadopted procurement decision, it is now necessary to assess which supplier is more suitable so that we can fill this position as quickly as possible. With the Czech 'Morana' system, this can be done at least 1.5 years faster ➖ Capabilities and total costs are also not unimportant. The Czech system works with all NATO and Latvia-held 155 mm ammunition, and there is a very large financial difference – we simply do not have the resources in the Ministry of Defence budget to buy the expensive Swedish systems. Moreover, the Czech manufacturer will localise 20% of production in Latvia – that means jobs, taxes and production capacity! ➖ The NBS already a year ago and again now confirmed point by point that it is not changing its assessment – for Latvia's needs the Czech system is more suitable because it covers the needs fastest 👥 Meeting with LIZDA (@lizda_lv) ➖ We talked about education reform and the fact that changes need to be less frequent and smaller. Schools and teachers are very tired of constant changes ➖ We discussed budget issues – I listened to LIZDA's and teachers' demands, while LIZDA's head Inga Vanaga also listened to my and the Cabinet's questions about state finances and the budget 📡 Meeting with OTAN ➖ OTAN military communication system that can combine all communication networks into one – a solution for civil protection services and municipalities to be in a single communication system. It is a very worth-considering option to deploy it across all Latvia, not only for military needs in the border area. I will speak with Raivis Melnis about funding 💪🇱🇻 📰 I gave interviews to Bloomberg magazine and , LIZDA

What are you going to purge? Well, then say it! Lay off the army, police, doctors, or teachers? They are all in the public sector. At all levels, you can barely scrape together 100 million from civil servants. Not billions by any means. Then, whether you like it or not, you will have to answer to those who will be elected. If you are so eager for power, realize that it will be you who will have to do something like that, and then your own brothers and sisters will cut off your head. That is exactly what happened to the French with that revolution. After all, you too are revolutionaries?

Dear Mrs. @Braze_Baiba, please tell me why @AndrisKulbergs had to be kicked out head over heels at the last moment because of the Foreign Ministry team's work that was not done on time? You are very lucky that you are still the Minister of Foreign Affairs because of 3/10🤝 https://t.co/Yl5wl8EmfK

Day No. 77 (WEDNESDAY 16 Sept) — Meeting with the President and the Security Council The day began right away with serious matters: ☀️ Early morning with TV Panorama 🤝 Meeting with the President ➖ We discussed Russian grain transit and the government's plans to stop it ➖ In connection with @airBaltic, we discussed the possibility of postponing ETS aviation fuel CO2 quota payments – an EU decision to freeze CO2 quotas in the aviation sector should be pushed, because combined with the huge impact of the Hormuz conflict on aviation fuel prices (rise from €660/t to €1,800/t), CO2 quotas at the same time will kill small and medium-sized airlines in the EU. ➖ We discussed readiness for the elections ➖ The President announced his visit to the US, where the American ambassador to Latvia has arranged for Latvian entrepreneurs to meet simultaneously with 200 top-level US entrepreneurs for networking and cooperation – a very welcome step, as it confirms our shared desire to change the situation to increase US investment cooperation in economic development. 🏛️ National Security Council (NSC) ➡️ We heard from the Ministry of Justice @EdvardsSmiltens, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development @Edgars_T and the Central Election Commission on readiness to hold safe elections ➡️ All systems have been successfully transferred from VARAM to CVK. Load and cyber tests have been carried out, results are good. ➡️ The elections can take place! 👥 Meeting with a youth organisation at the Drone Centre – where Latvijas Finieris supports drone training and testing with superb premises 💪🇱🇻

@VeikoSpolitis @KNABinforme @prokuratura_LV @Jekaba11 @CVK_zinas @lasilvportals @Jauna_Vienotiba @VL_TBLNNK @attistibai @Progresivie @Apvienotais_ Clarity is also needed as to why this was noticed only now and only after publicity...

@biedrsnorajona @Apvienotais_ This is a comment about a possible hybrid threat during elections.

🇱🇻 I see that the public is anxious while following international news. I want to reassure - there is no reason for panic!! We take the security situation seriously. 🇵🇱 The Polish Prime Minister has published an intelligence risk assessment on possible Russian actions in the coming months. However, it is not a statement about a specific or imminent attack on Poland, Latvia, or any other NATO country. 📢 You know that I communicate openly, also about negative facts. But right now there is no reason for concern. 🤝 I am in constant contact with the services. This week I also met with EU leaders who attended the Arctic Summit. ✅ Currently there is no information indicating a particularly high level of threat. I can confirm that Russia is not ready for war and is not capable of a conventional attack. 🛡️ NATO support is stronger than ever. Our border guard and services are vigilant – a number of operations are underway on the border, military exercises are taking place, and German fighters will additionally patrol the airspace during elections. However, we must remain vigilant. Our society is well informed about threats and knows our eastern neighbor well. Of course, the Russian election context intensifies the volume of disinformation and propaganda. 🔍 I am carefully following the situation, meeting with the services, and speaking with both Ukrainian and EU leaders. The responsible services constantly monitor the situation and exchange information with our allies. I can reassure you! If a real threat arises, I will inform you immediately.

Organizing illegal migration is an attack on our national security. 🇱🇻 Russia and Belarus are using the migrant flow as a hybrid warfare tool, overloading Latvia's border guard and security services. Meanwhile, organized crime groups are making thousands of euros from each illegally moved person. That is why we have prepared stricter penalties: ⚖️ up to 12 years in prison for illegally moving people across the border in the most serious cases; ⚖️ harsher liability for aiding illegal stay in Latvia; ⚖️ harsher liability for organizing the abuse of obtaining residence rights. The numbers show the scale of the problem. In 2024, we initiated 103 criminal proceedings for these crimes, and in 2025 already 142. However, the latest @VRS_gov_lv data shows that by mid-September the number has already reached 143 criminal proceedings against 109 individuals. This is growing and internationally organized crime that must be tackled with all the state's might. Operation "Vilkatis" has been launched to strengthen the security of Latvia's eastern border and the ability of state institutions to jointly respond to attempted illegal border crossings and the activities of those involved. So far, 1054 illegal border crossers have been detained during the operation. Video: TV24 "Ziņu TOP" 17.09.