Latvian Political Monitor

From@RitaEvaNa

Kulberg's dramatic monodramas are, of course, a rather interesting phenomenon in the overall, very gray, political theater. But let us remember that it is precisely AS that is pushing golden visa proposals that promote migration, and it is precisely LVP that are AS's closest potential partners.

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From@gatisliepin

While still a deputy, Kulbergs achieved several proposals in the Immigration Law to restore golden visas. Now as prime minister, he continues to advocate for their implementation. After the elections, he hopes that together with Šlesers everything will be arranged as in the 'good old days'. https://t.co/7HivUDbMXv

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From@AndrisKulbergs

Day No. 53 in the prime minister's chair (Friday, Aug 7) – unofficial visit to Liepāja, Grobiņa, Nīca 😊 I visited entrepreneurs, manufacturers, farmers, municipal deputies, market ladies, residents, the crazy Liepāja folk ⚙️ RK Metal – Grobiņa A modern metalworking company with around 200 employees producing high-level metal structures, equipment, and specialized solutions for export. Here the problem of labor costs was again very clearly voiced. 🤒 From the entrepreneurs' point of view, a big problem is the abuse of the sick leave system and how much of the sick period is covered by the employer. ⏱ The second topic – 100% surcharge for overtime and complex bureaucracy to introduce more flexible solutions in the company. By comparison, we also talked about 🇸🇪Sweden, where in some cases the overtime surcharge model is more flexible. A welder's salary in Latvia has already approached the level I once saw in 🇳🇱 the Netherlands, having worked 13 years in the equipment manufacturing industry. This shows very well how serious the skilled labor problem has become in Latvia. ❤️ RŪRE Care Home This was a very personal visit for me. RŪRE once allowed my cousin Mārtiņš Lauva to live out his last days with dignity and helped fulfill his final wishes. That is why I know the value of mobile hospice services not from documents but personally. And I am seriously concerned that the Ministry of Health's ill-considered planning and conditions could jeopardize a system that Latvia could rightly be proud of in recent years. RŪRE has simultaneously taken on a huge risk by developing five regional healthcare centers in Kurzeme in a short time. The problem is again the same – delayed state planning, extremely short deadlines and bureaucracy. As a result, there is a risk of not using millions of euros of 🇪🇺EU funding. 🏗 Liepāja SEZ – industrial park on the former 'Metalurgs' territory We talked about: ➖️ industrial territory development; ➖️ military industry opportunities; ➖️ new production plants; ➖️ labor availability. In Liepāja unemployment is historically very low – around 4%, with only about 1,737 unemployed people. That's good, but it creates another problem for entrepreneurs – there is no one to hire. There is a particular shortage of technical specialists. Here the weakness of our education system in STEM subjects – mathematics, physics, engineering – is strongly felt. 🏠 The second problem – the lack of housing stock. Even if a company finds a specialist in another Latvian city, the person often has nowhere normal to live in Liepāja. Among development projects – also YOKOHAMA's plan to create a tire plant in addition to the existing alloy wheel production. 📦 CALJAN – from Liepāja to the whole world This is one of the companies Latvia should truly be proud of. CALJAN produces high-level logistics and small-parcel conveyor systems for global clients such as: Amazon, FedEx, UPS, DPD, DHL, Walmart and others. 🌍 About 30,000 units have already been delivered worldwide. And the most impressive thing – the company has relocated its: ➖️ R&D; ➖️ engineering; ➖️ production; ➖️ head office from 🇸🇪 Sweden to Liepāja. This is exactly the Latvian economic model I want to see more of – not cheap labor, but knowledge, engineering, technology and global exports. 👷 CALJAN employs around 410 people. But they too can no longer find enough workers in Latvia. About 40 people are already being hired through a 🇱🇹Lithuanian labor leasing company – including engineers, programmers and electricians from 🇮🇳 India and the Philippines. And the money for labor intermediation goes to Lithuanian companies, not stays in Latvia. 🏛 Meeting at Liepāja City Council @liepaja With the city leadership we discussed: ➖️ The Local Government Financial Equalization Fund; ➖️ Liepāja's development; ➖️ The Port Law and its further progress. ✈️ NORSAF – green aviation fuel project A very ambitious idea – producing future synthetic aviation fuel in Liepāja using green hydrogen. 🇪🇺 In the coming years, aviation will face increasingly strict requirements for sustainable aviation fuel blending – in 2030, 2035, 2040 and beyond. At the moment, however, the technology is still extremely expensive. 💶 Approximate: ➖️ new fuel – €7,000/t; ➖️ traditional Jet Fuel – around €1,500/t; ➖️ before the Hormuz crisis – around €600–800/t. This shows how huge a technological and economic leap is still needed. 🥒 Liepāja Market I'll be honest – I liked it more than Rīga Central Market. 😄 Cozier, more Latvian, and with a feeling that there are more local producers. In the shopping basket: 🍞 very good bread baked in Liepāja; 🍗 Rubeņi smoked chicken; 🥒 lightly salted cucumbers; 🍄 and, of course, chanterelles – because I have no time to go to the forest myself. ☹️ 📺 In between, also an interview with Liepāja TV. - about MP compensation 🏭 Liepāja Papīrs An impressive Latvian-level plant specializing in printing adhesive labels. 👷 Around 120 employees. The company invests very actively in modern production equipment and automation. Not because they don't want people, but because there simply aren't any. Training a new specialist takes up to two years. Hence, the labor shortage effectively forces companies to invest in technologies that allow them to produce more with fewer workers. 📦 Due to the Hormuz Strait conflict, the company has purchased about twice as much paper stock to ensure continuity of production. This in turn means more money frozen in the warehouse and pressure on production costs. 🖨 FORTIUS – printing house A smaller local printing and labeling company. And such companies are also very necessary – almost every city needs its own local printer that can quickly serve small and individual orders. 🥛 Kazdanga company “Baltu Piens” Two enterprising women joined forces, mortgaged their properties and used ALTUM financing to buy a farm. This story is also personally close to me, because my wife's parents live in Kazdanga. But the numbers raise very serious questions. 💶 The loan principal has been repaid about €50,000, but €39,713 has already been paid in interest. The interest rate – almost 9%. Moreover, to review the loan repayment schedule, ALTUM requires an additional fixed payment of 0.5% of the remaining amount. Then my question is simple: Is ALTUM's task not to be a state development financial institution that helps companies grow? If state funding conditions weaken a company more than help it develop, something is wrong with the system. Moreover, the new farm managers still need to invest about €459,000 in treatment facilities that the previous owners had not fixed. 🏎 Garage 1965 – Latvian rally history museum For all petrolheads – a must-see! 🔥 A very enjoyable museum. In Liepāja not only 'the wind is born' – there are very deep roots of Latvian rally and motorcycle sport. 👥 Meeting with Liepāja residents at the Latvian Society House 👥 Meeting with residents in Nīca 🧀 Nīca cheese and ZS “Skrodis” Again the seasonal labor problem. Vegetable and berry growers need people for specific seasonal work, but existing rules make attracting labor extremely complicated and expensive. Entrepreneurs point out that the set €1,700 salary threshold for attracting foreign labor for this type of work is too high and, given current agricultural product prices, makes production costs uncompetitive. And the reality in the countryside is harsh – local people often cannot be found even for such pay. Young people simply don't come to cut cabbage or pick berries. 🧀 But the cheese – seriously – one of the best I've tasted in Latvia. 🌅 End of the day – Red Sun Buffet Beach Bar Meeting with the owner, who has run a family business on the Liepāja seaside for 17 seasons, working both summer and winter. Here, too, the reality of the Latvian labor market is very clearly visible. 🇺🇦 Ukrainian families work at the company, engaging in work across several generations. They serve clients in Latvian, but the Ukrainian women have also introduced their own delicious traditions to the menu. 🎶 And every evening – live music with high-level musicians. What did I take from these two regional days? 🇱🇻 In Latvia we have fantastic entrepreneurs, farmers and manufacturers. They invest. Take risks. Export. Invent. Build factories. Take over markets. Create jobs. But at almost every stop I heard the same words: ⚠️ bureaucracy; ⚠️ labor shortage; ⚠️ tax and labor costs; ⚠️ slow state decisions; ⚠️ ill-considered regulation; ⚠️ difficulties obtaining financing; ⚠️ officials' fear of taking responsibility. The state's task should not be to train entrepreneurs in an obstacle course. The state's task is to create an environment where a person ready to risk, invest and create jobs can do so. For me, such visits are far more valuable than dozens of presentations in Rīga. Because only in a factory, in a field, in a warehouse, on a farm or at an entrepreneur's table can you understand what actually works in Latvia and what urgently needs fixing. @Apvienotais_

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From@Apvienotais_

At today's press conference, Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs informed about the most important decisions taken at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting. The government's priority is to reduce heating tariffs both in the near term and long term. It is planned to streamline the management of heating supply systems by transferring water heating boilers from 'Latvenergo' to the company 'Rīgas Siltums' so that 'Latvenergo' can focus more on electricity production. At the same time, the tariff calculation methodology will be reviewed with the aim of making heat in Riga one of the cheapest among Baltic capitals. To protect the rights of real estate owners, the Ministry of Justice is developing a new procedure that will provide that a person's registration in a property is possible only with the owner's consent. The system will be simple - the owner will be able to confirm registration electronically. The government also agreed to review the temporary residence permit system, as the current regulation no longer corresponds to the current situation. A new model will be developed using the experience of other European countries to attract investment and strengthen Latvia's economy. The Ministry of Defence has found a legal solution to land use issues that will allow more efficient deployment of radars and air defense systems. This is a significant step in strengthening the protection of Latvia's airspace and improving national security. #APVIENOTAISSARAKSTS #MK #Lēmumi #AndrisKulbergs

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From@AndrisKulbergs

Day No. 50 in the prime minister's chair — @RSiltums tariff, 🇧🇾 border, TUA, declaration in private property, 🇪🇺 fund redistribution. Today the Cabinet of Ministers reviewed several important issues — from heating costs in Riga and security on the 🇧🇾 border to attracting investment, protecting owners' rights and using 🇪🇺 funds. 🔥 RIGA HEAT TARIFF — GOAL: CHEAPEST HEATING AMONG BALTIC CAPITALS. Finally the day has come when the Cabinet reviewed the proposals that the investigative commission on “Riga Heat”, led by me, had developed in the Saeima. As prime minister, I tasked the climate and energy minister @JanisVitenbergs to evaluate these proposals in detail and prepare a concrete action plan. Many thanks to the minister and his team, especially state secretary @LigaKurevska, for the scrupulously developed plan: short-term — already for this heating season; medium-term — until 2027; long-term — after 2028. The goal is clear — to achieve the lowest heating tariff in Riga among the Baltic capitals. Main proposals: publish all essential heat supply data; evaluate transferring @Latvenergo's water-heating boilers to the management of “Riga Heat”; task SPRK to review the cogeneration tariff methodology of “Latvenergo”; set priority for using residual heat; reduce administrative costs and end waste of funds; change the shareholder structure of “Riga Heat” so that the company finally has a clear and responsible owner; evaluate integrating “Riga BioEnergy” into “Riga Heat”; evaluate the CHP operating model after 2028; promote modernization and long-term development. The Cabinet decided that the economy minister @ViktorsValainis, in cooperation with the Ministry of Climate and Energy, must develop a national proposal for the best management model for “Riga Heat”. This decision cannot be postponed. The company's development and the tariff reduction needed by Riga residents must not be stalled. 💶 TUA SYSTEM — END THE OLD SYSTEM AND DEVELOP A NEW, MODERN INVESTMENT ATTRACTION MODEL. Interior minister @janisdombrava reported on the temporary residence permit (TUA) system. The current system is outdated, exhausted, and not oriented toward attracting the kind of investment truly needed for Latvia's economic development. The report is to be supplemented with an analysis of other EU countries' experience, so that a decision can be made on creating a new and modern system. Goal: attract investors from allied countries; attract wealthy and successful entrepreneurs who create companies, jobs and tax revenue in Latvia; attract more than 100 million euros per year in investment and budget fund programs. Latvia does not need the selling of residence permits. Latvia needs smart, secure and state-beneficial investment instruments. 🏠 DECLARING RESIDENCE IN PRIVATE PROPERTY — ONLY WITH THE OWNER'S KNOWLEDGE. Justice minister @EdvardsSmiltens came with a very good proposal to regulate the declaration system in private properties. Currently, private individuals or legal entities in some cases can declare residence without the owner's knowledge. That is unacceptable. The proposed solution envisages that the owner automatically receives a request; declaration would be registered only after the owner's consent; the owner would have the option to reject the request. The task is to prepare a specific solution and implementation timeline in the near future. Private property also means the owner's right to know and decide who declares residence there. 🛡️ 🇧🇾 BORDER — There is a plan to address illegal migration. The Cabinet reviewed the interior minister's report on the illegal migration flow at the 🇧🇾 border, current statistics and possible solutions. The minister also informed about technical problems at border points and their prevention. We evaluated all proposals, such as: limiting the flow of illegal migrants; improving border control; strengthening technical surveillance; targeting the organizers of the hybrid attack. No decision was made today on fully closing the 🇧🇾 border, but this option remains as one of the courses of action if the migration flow creates a significant threat. The border is under control. In August, targeted and pre-planned measures are planned in cooperation between the Ministry of Interior, the Ministry of Defense and the National Armed Forces to influence and disrupt the activities of the organizers of this migration hybrid attack. 🇪🇺 EU FUNDS — MONEY MUST BE DIRECTED TO STIMULATING THE ECONOMY. I am preparing for the EU fund committee meeting scheduled for Thursday, which has not been convened for a very long time. Agenda: redistribution of existing EU funds and the wishes submitted by ministries; directing funding to priority projects; discussion on the principles and conditions of the new EU fund period — 2029–2034. European fund financing must not be merely a wish list of ministries.

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From@atis_svinka

It is not right that @AndrisKulbergs casually comments on the possible repurchase of LMT and TET shares from Telia while clearly knowing that these are restricted-access (IP) documents. It is doubly bad that these comments are inaccurate and misleading. Viktors Valainis did not have a Cabinet of Ministers mandate to freely and independently decide on the transaction price – the process was completely different. The Minister of Economics had a mandate to co-sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU), in which the state, for specific reasons, was a co-signatory together with the state companies carrying out this transaction. This fact must not and cannot be presented as a bilateral agreement between Telia and the Latvian state. In this situation, the public needs clarity and truth – to the extent that commercial secrecy allows.

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From@AndrisKulbergs

Day No. 39 (this time actually the right one – day 39 😊) in the prime minister's chair Early morning again. ➖I appeared on @ltvpanorama about NGOs, AirBaltic and the government's Action Plan. ➖🇱🇻 Meeting with the State Defence Corporation I met with the management of the State Defence Corporation about developing the military industry and attracting investors. Very good impression – a professional team and a strong leader, Ingrīda Ķirse. Main conclusions: - 🇫🇷 together with French partners, the project for the first 155 mm howitzer shell production plant is planned to start already in September; - the EIA process is still a major problem; - public consultations also cause problems; - everything is slowed down by Latvia's biggest chronic ailment – the inability to make decisions in a timely manner; - we agreed to fix these mistakes. ➖🇺🇦 Call with the new Ukrainian Prime Minister - Very good first conversation – an open discussion started from the very first minutes. - The new PM is in many ways similar to me – young, comes from the private sector and has led a large corporation. - We both agree that one of the main priorities is energy and security. - I said that we – the 🇱🇻 Baltic and 🇺🇦 Ukrainian PMs – are a new generation that will introduce modern changes in politics. - We agreed to take the next practical step in implementing the drone contract, which is necessary to open a military production facility in Latvia in cooperation with Latvia's military industry. - The Ukrainian PM especially highlighted President @Rinkevics' decision in 2021 to donate 🇺🇦 14 Javelin anti-tank missile launchers even before 🇷🇺 full-scale invasion. According to him, this decision helped defend Kyiv and significantly influenced the battles for Hostomel airport, disrupting Russia's airborne plans. - The PM sent special greetings to @poznaks and the Twitter convoy, who are known by the entire Ukrainian people, and the military is especially grateful for the donation of more than 8000 units of equipment to Ukraine – through Reinis, special thanks to all Latvian people. ➖🇱🇻 Weekly meeting with the President We discussed: - the President's returned Immigration Law – it must be improved so as not to jump from one ditch to another; - facts and statistics on the NGO sector – about 10% of organisations cast a shadow over the whole rest of the sector; - in July we will publish a publicly available data summary on NGOs; - the NATO summit in Ankara; - the government's Action Plan; - national security and the eastern border; - the AirBaltic situation. ➖🎥 NRA video interview We talked about how to become prime minister in three years :) ➖🇸🇪 Meeting with TELIA management Together with Economy Minister @ViktorsValainis I met with the chairman of the board of Swedish company TELIA and his team. I received the following explanation about the TET/LMT transaction: - TELIA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the 🇱🇻 state on the sale of all its TET and LMT shares; - an agreement on the sale price has been reached with V.Valainis; - TELIA wants to close the deal by 31 July, but I pointed out that this is not a realistic deadline; - TELIA has no "red lines" or conditions about what happens to TET and LMT after the deal; - the main reason why TET and LMT have not been merged in the previous 12 years has been the companies' own historical unwillingness to merge; - I confirmed that the 🇱🇻 state is ready to move forward as soon as the Economy Minister submits to the government a clear proposal for a deal with a strategic investor that fully secures Latvia's state interests. Promise – already next week. ➖👏 Thanks for 47 years of work - I congratulated the long-serving State Chancellery employee Leontīne on her last working day before retiring. - She worked at the State Chancellery for 47 years – her entire working life in one workplace. She was in charge of Cabinet meetings and visitor control. - It was very interesting to hear her stories from the Godmanis government times. 😊 ➖🔒 5-hour National Security Council meeting at the President's residence Agenda: - NATO summit; - 🇧🇾 hybrid threat on the Belarusian border with an organised illegal migration flow – solutions presented by @RMelnis and @Dombrava; - security of electoral systems; - assessment of the LVM cyberattack and conclusions on how to strengthen the security of the entire state's critical IT infrastructure. ➖🇱🇻 Inspection of the eastern border Already this Friday and Saturday we are preparing for a special out-of-town session – together with @janisdombrava and R.Melnis we will inspect the entire 458 km long Latvian eastern border with 🇷🇺/🇧🇾. Again a late evening tonight. Solving national security issues requires a lot of energy. 😊

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From@AndrisKulbergs

Diena No.39 (this time really the correct one – 39th day 😊) in the prime minister's chair. Again an early morning. ➖Appeared on @ltvpanorama about NGOs, AirBaltic and the government's Action Plan. ➖🇱🇻 Meeting with the State Defence Corporation. Met with the leadership of the State Defence Corporation on the development of the military industry and attracting investors. Very good impression – professional team and strong leader Ingrīda Ķirse. Main conclusions: - 🇫🇷 together with French partners, the first 155 mm howitzer shell production plant project is planned to start already in September; - the EIA process is still a big problem; - public consultations also cause problems; - everything is slowed down by Latvia's biggest chronic ailment – inability to make decisions in a timely manner; - we agreed to fix these mistakes. ➖🇺🇦 Call with the new Ukrainian Prime Minister. - Very good first conversation – open discussion started from the first minutes. - The new PM is in many ways similar to me – young, comes from the private sector and has led a large corporation. - We both agree that one of the main priorities is energy and security. - I said that we – 🇱🇻 Baltic and 🇺🇦 Ukrainian PMs are the new generation that will bring modern changes in politics. - We agreed to take the next practical step in implementing the drone contract, which is necessary to open a military production facility in Latvia in cooperation with Latvia's military industry. - The Ukrainian PM especially highlighted President @Rinkevics' decision in 2021 to donate 🇺🇦 14 Javelin anti-tank missile launchers even before 🇷🇺 full-scale invasion. According to him, this decision helped defend Kyiv and significantly influenced the battle for Hostomel airport, disrupting Russia's airborne plans. - The PM sent special greetings to @poznaks and the twitter convoy, known by all of Ukraine's people, and especially grateful are the military for donating more than 8000 units of equipment to Ukraine – through Reinis, special thanks to all Latvian people. ➖🇱🇻 Weekly meeting with the President. Discussed: - the president's returned Immigration Law – it needs to be improved so as not to go from one ditch to another; - NGO sector facts and statistics – about 10% of organizations cast a shadow on the rest of the sector; - in July we will publish a publicly accessible data compilation on NGOs; - NATO summit in Ankara; - government Action Plan; - state security and the eastern border; - AirBaltic situation. ➖🎥 NRA video interview. Talked about how to become PM in three years :) ➖🇸🇪 Meeting with TELIA management. Together with Economics Minister @ViktorsValainis, I met with the chairman of the board of the Swedish company TELIA and his team. I received the following explanation about the TET/LMT deal: - TELIA has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with 🇱🇻 state on the sale of all its TET and LMT shares; - an agreement on the sale price has been reached with V.Valainis; - TELIA wants to close the deal by 31 July, but I indicated that this is not a realistic deadline; - TELIA has no 'red lines' or conditions about what happens to TET and LMT after the deal; - the main reason why TET and LMT have not been merged in the previous 12 years was the companies' own historical reluctance to merge; - I confirmed that 🇱🇻 state is ready to move forward as soon as the Economics Minister submits a clear proposal to the government on the deal with a strategic investor, fully ensuring Latvia's state interests. Promise – already next week. ➖👏 Thanks for 47 years of work. - Congratulated the long-time employee of the State Chancellery, Leontīne, on her last working day before retiring. - She has worked at the State Chancellery for 47 years – her entire working life in one workplace. She was in charge of the Cabinet of Ministers meeting proceedings and visitor control. - It was very interesting to hear her stories about the Godmanis government times. 😊 ➖🔒 5-hour National Security Council meeting at the President's. Agenda: - NATO summit; - 🇧🇾 hybrid threat on the Belarusian border with organized illegal migration flow – solutions presented by @RMelnis and @Dombrava; - election system security; - LVM cyberattack assessment and conclusions on how to strengthen the security of the entire state's critical IT infrastructure. ➖🇱🇻 Eastern border inspection. Already this Friday and Saturday we are preparing for a special out-of-town session – together with @janisdombrava and R.Melnis we will inspect the entire 🇷🇺/🇧🇾 458 km long Latvia's eastern border. Tonight again late evening. Solving state security issues requires a lot of energy. 😊

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From@KNL_LTV1

https://t.co/cnTf4FsutA

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From@AndrisKulbergs

Ati, I would rather stay quiet in your place... it was Briškens' and then your responsibility and your inability to act in time. Should I remind you who gave injections from citizens' tax money to AB without any business plan, without assessment?... AB came, asked, you gave - without blinking an eye. (At least credit to you Ati for the courage to deal with Munchausen, but what next?)

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From@AndrisKulbergs

@KokinsIngus @DienaLv @Finmin @MarisKucinskis @airBaltic There is no real business plan in line with new market conditions. I expect it within a week from the AB board and Minister Kozlovskis of the Ministry of Transport.

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