Latvian Political Monitor

If a political force cannot clearly say that Vladimir Putin must stand trial for Russia's crimes committed in Ukraine, then that is a deliberate evasion of naming the aggressor. I asked a simple question, to which a simple answer was needed: yes or no? I never got an answer. In matters of Latvia's national security there can be no half-truths, evasive excuses, and Kremlin propaganda theses. Russia is an aggressor state. Putin's regime is responsible for the brutal war in Ukraine, and the guilty must stand trial. When choosing Latvia's politicians, it is important to understand – will they defend Latvia or will they look for excuses for Russia. Here the dividing line is very clear. 🇱🇻🇺🇦 #APVIENOTAISSARAKSTS @LRApvieniba @Apvienotais_ Video: TV24

Latvia needs not another fairy tale of beautiful promises, but courage to make difficult decisions and fix what has been spoiled in previous years. THE UNITED LIST sees Latvia as a safe, strong, and self-confident country. A country where society is united, people trust each other, and the government is worthy of the trust of its people. A Latvia that no one can intimidate or threaten and that our children do not have to leave to seek a happy land elsewhere. The path will not be easy, but the happy land is not to be sought in the world – we must build it together right here. Eternal sunshine to Latvia! 🇱🇻 #APVIENOTAISSARAKSTS @Apvienotais_ @LRApvieniba Video: TV24

@ltvzinas And why only now, but not three years ago? Because you know you won't be in this position anymore... But yes, I support this.

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.

There is a difference between the railway tariff and the railway infrastructure usage fee. One needs to be partially coordinated, the other does not.

It is especially important to notice the areas where we have excellence and the opportunity to compete at world level. Quantum technologies are one such area. Latvia does not have to start from scratch here. We have internationally recognized scientists, universities and and first practical projects. #science #excellence https://t.co/vt5g9Y3WZa

@Mikipele6 @Apvienotais_ We have been through everything and know what we are doing. Our responsible @Sat_Min is preparing the necessary decisions. On Tuesday we will look at @Brivibas36. Follow the events, less reference to ministers of another country. Thank you!

Politics is fundamentally about sloganeering or, as I call it, flag-waving. They wave and wave. For everything good and against everything bad. A black-and-white view is a rewarded path to a deputy's mandate. But not to a statesman's position. These are very different concepts. Some quotes from Kissinger: “Prophets can preach perfection; a statesman must work with imperfect choices, because he is responsible for the consequences.” “Insistence on pure morality in itself is the most immoral pose.”

🇷🇺 NO TO RUSSIAN GRAIN – NO. I am pleased that the Saeima has broad support for economic restrictions on Russia. I see this as a clear mandate from the Saeima for the government to continue the work already begun. And we will continue. Decisively. Not with loud slogans, but with real actions. We will not look for excuses why something cannot be done. We will not hide behind endless approvals and waiting for others to decide in our place. Latvia itself has the tools, and they must be used. Our goal is clear – to maximally restrict the transit of Russian grain and prevent Latvia's infrastructure from helping the aggressor state's economy earn money and finance the war against 🇺🇦. Of course, one cannot help but notice the approaching elections. 😉 Suddenly the loudest fighters against Russian grain transit and seekers of 'bloody grain' are also among those who, for the past three years, while in power, could have acted themselves. Back then – excuses, hesitation, and arguments why not. Now – loud calls for the government to act. We in the government have already been acting since August. On Tuesday, a draft amendment prepared for the Cabinet of Ministers will be brought. The only difference – we will not talk, but act. 🇱🇻🤝🇺🇦

I would not want to publicly dissect this situation or involve the affected families further in a public discussion. However, I consider it my duty to respond to a misinterpreted statement. The purpose of the press conference was to say that these families, alongside the enormous emotional burden, also face very specific legal and practical problems, and that they have not been left alone with them. The public has the right to know that the state is ready to help in such situations. This is also important so that people have confidence that they are not alone in difficult times and that help is possible to receive. We are not a rich country, but our attitude towards our own people cannot be measured only in money. The ability to be there, to show empathy and to seek solutions is also the strength of the state. And I believe it is worth the public knowing about this. Moreover, in such situations, solutions must be sought not only in state institutions – banks, telecom operators, insurance and other service providers are also involved. It is important for them to understand that this is not a standard situation and that industries together with the state must seek the most accommodating solutions for people.

@DonnaAsso @Brivibas36 @CVK_zinas These questions should be asked to @CVK_zinas, they organize elections as an independent institution.

They already know how to write documents. I mean anywhere, in all countries. In Latvia, central government expenditures are below the OECD average relative to GDP, but together (general government, including municipalities) - above. There one can and will always strive for improvements, but not some grandiose ones, in billions. That is a myth.

@Astridamains That's very healthy, to look at it. The treasury shows the cash flow, the same can be seen on the budget side. When this is shown to the big cutters, it quickly breaks off. All so far. Thousands of positions from which you cannot linearly shorten any billions.

#krīviski https://t.co/pu2ojAheKQ

One of the main priority tasks of this government is to ensure full readiness of election systems by October 3. The task was to organize and build all IT systems in 4 months, with cooperation between all state IT experts @mansLMT, TET, @LVRTC_TVtornis, @valstsmezi and @VARAM_Latvija. Thanks to the team and to Minister @Edgars_T for the work done. This week the 'keys' to the system are being handed over to @CVK_zinas so that it can successfully organize the 15th SAEIMA elections on October 3. We will receive the main mark for the work done on October 3.

The research post I quoted below was from February. Today's news about PISA measurements shows that the majority of young people (59%) can no longer read. So also write. Can tick that off. Illiteracy is a reality. For context, a few facts. First - @IZM_gov_lv spends a hundred million a month. A hundred. Million. A month. Euros. Second. Everything is supposedly fine. Third. The ministry is a priority. When asked to save funds 'like everyone else', they refused already last year. Refused again this year. Came decisively to complain. And now they ask for at least 50 million more next year. I have a question, @IIndriksone. Not a reproach. What should be done with such people, if without politics and honestly?