Latvian Political Monitor

🇪🇺 citizens do not have to pay the entire war bill 🇺🇦, expenses should be covered from 🇷🇺 frozen assets in Europe. It is enough to guard them, they would suffice for 🇺🇦 a full year of warfare https://t.co/TkOUQy3c35

Russia must not be normalized by allowing it to return to the table in sports, motorsport, the Olympics, culture, and music.

The unity of the Baltic states is our strength – both in protecting democracy and the rule of law, and in ensuring accountability for violations of international law. 🤝 Today in Tallinn, together with the justice ministers of Estonia and Lithuania, we met with the Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, Lauri Husaru, to discuss issues that are currently important for all Baltic states. 🗳️ Democratic processes must be protected. Elections must be safe, fair, and trustworthy. With the increasing risks of foreign interference, disinformation, and malicious use of new technologies, the Baltic states must be able to timely prevent threats and strengthen public trust in democracy. ⚖️ Russia's aggression against Ukraine must have consequences. International crimes cannot remain unpunished. Latvia and Estonia must continue to work together to ensure that Russia feels real consequences for its aggression and that accountability is ensured for the crimes committed.

My address to the people of Ukraine on the National Flag Day on 23 August in Kyiv https://t.co/fWxLtu9pzH

Russia's aggression and the international crimes it has committed must have consequences! We clearly confirmed this today in Tallinn together with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and Lithuanian Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė. 🇺🇦 On Ukraine's Independence Day, our message is especially important – the Ukrainian people have the right to decide for themselves about their freedom, their country, and their future. Our task is to ensure that Russia is held accountable for its crimes and that they do not go unpunished. We also discussed Belarus's instrumentalization of migration, which puts pressure on our region. Such attempts to use people to create political pressure are unacceptable. 🇱🇻🇪🇪🇱🇹 And we must also be united on regional development issues – including the Rail Baltica project and the defense of our common interests in the European Union. United Baltic states are stronger – both in defending the rule of law, security, and the future of our region.

🇱🇻🇪🇪🇱🇹 Baltic security also begins with strong democracy and the rule of law. Today in Tallinn, together with the Estonian and Lithuanian justice ministers, we discussed how to strengthen our countries' resilience against increasingly complex threats. 🗳️ Democracy must also be protected in elections — against foreign interference, disinformation, and malicious use of artificial intelligence. In Latvia we have already introduced mechanisms to mitigate such risks, including the requirement to indicate the use of AI in pre-election campaigning and accountability for the use of misleading deepfakes. ⚖️ At the same time, we must be prepared for Russia's attempts to use law as an instrument of political pressure. Here, united and coordinated action by the Baltic states is especially important. 📉 However, a strong state is not a state with as many rules as possible. Regulation must be understandable, proportionate, and not create unnecessary burden on people and businesses. 🤝 Regular Baltic cooperation is essential to respond to common threats in a unified, timely, and practical way.

We in Latvia have the lowest electricity consumption per connection in the whole 🇪🇺, which means very expensive infrastructure per number of inhabitants. Switching to underground lines is a huge cost that will not be affordable for users. That is achievable if we doubled consumption per connection (which is achievable if we made strategic political decisions).

Last week's storm highlighted serious weaknesses in crisis prevention in Latvia. Ministries, as well as involved institutions and the Crisis Management Center, must submit proposals to the government by mid-September on how to improve the overall system's work in crisis situations.

Regarding responsibility, I observe one thing that is visible in social media posts. Now the nifnufi are looking for those responsible. The same carefree nifnufi are now looking for an excuse for their own carelessness. And what do you think? Found! Responsibility must be shifted onto private individuals. Why didn't you, you scum, put a generator on your pepper stand? As if the stand owner had an obligation to sell something according to a political schedule, even during a storm🤡

A stop on Latgales Street. Built two years ago and already redone twice. A few weeks after the last redo it already looks like this. That's what happens when you put cobblestones on bare sand. In spring there will be repairs again, but who will pay for that @VKleinbergs ? https://t.co/OWSJNikt0j

Once there were three little pigs - Nif Nif, Nuf Nuf and Naf Naf. The first built a hut of straw, the second of branches, but the third of bricks. Yesterday the seasonal wind blew away the straw and branches, and along with the straw it blew away communications, notification, information and critical ATMs. But I understood one thing. You see, Nif and Nuf don't care. That's their nature - to frolic and dance. They are allowed to be that way, each has their own life choices, which I don't judge. There's only one problem. Nif and Nuf are the majority (Naf is only one) - they both put themselves into positions too, they legally stitch this up themselves and will never be held accountable. The storm was a very good lesson. One can safely say that next time it will be exactly the same - certainty is a comfortable awareness! Nifnufs will be the same tomorrow too, and the majority. That gives a clear course of action to everyone who understands it. Prepare, everyone for themselves, for anything. Let's think positively, clarity is 🤝

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