Latvian Political Monitor

@karlis_serzants @Apvienotais_ Which party has the justice minister? What exactly legal steps has @EdvardsSmiltens taken to find out why the process is dragging, and to ensure it doesn't drag?

@Lato_Lapsa @Apvienotais_ This is my absolutely personal opinion, Lato! Thieves should sit in prison regardless of party affiliation, and in this case a very simple court process has been dragging on for the seventh year…

If you needed one more confirmation before the elections that @Apvienotais_ is a disguised communist plague and the cancer of Unity.

@KucinskisM Vote for Kulbergs, get Truksnis 🫠

Kulberg's visit to Pärnu against the backdrop of Nepal events has raised confusion; office provides explanation

@runasvirs @Apvienotais_ I would recommend checking the news date... 2023.

@aldis_voitenko @Apvienotais_ Please look at the date... that was 3 years ago, when I was a deputy

(2/2)🧵 Wait, stop. Do you consider us 'retards'? 107 thousand is OK, but less than 200 TUA per year, which is 0.15%, is a national security risk? The fact that we are full of poor 'blacks' about whom nobody in this country knows when they have to leave, when they arrived, etc. — that of course is different. But checking 150 people — that is a national security risk? Really? But we don't end there. Like in a good French restaurant, the best is always reserved for dessert. ☝🏻For health, benefits and legal support of third-country nationals we currently spend 100 million per year!!! (See image.) Wait, that can't be — we are against money that rich people want to invest here (not from Russia or Belarus), but at the same time we spend 100 million a year on existing third-country nationals? That can't be, right? But it can. It can be… As they say, away with golden visas and rich people, we stick with the poor and 'boltists'... And today Siliņa in all seriousness asked this question to Smiltēns…😳

(1/2)🧵 Pre-election agitation time is an interesting time, and I was greatly surprised when Mrs. Siliņa today in the debate asked Mr. Smiltēns a question about "golden visas". Which in essence is a glorified name for the temporary residence permit that has already been operating in one way or another since 2011. 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ And here I would like to touch a bit on this public debate, and I think it's worth looking at this issue in essence. Let's start with what the opponents say. Both Edvīns Šnore and deputy Agnese Krasta, and even Edvīns Inkēns have been very critical about this issue in public space. In their opinion, it was a very unsuccessful program that is a threat to Latvia's security and society as a whole. Okay. Let's look at the data. A brief history. The TUA (temporary residence permit) started operating on 1 July 2010. Until Russia's attack on Ukraine (24 February 2022), the investor TUA program had attracted approximately 1.59 billion euros in Latvia. Methodologies vary, but conservatively you can multiply this number by 1.5 — direct taxes, services, etc., i.e., what additionally came into the economy. Most of the money came in 2010–2014 while the threshold for real estate was low. After the increase in requirements in 2014 (up to €250,000 for property) the flow dropped dramatically. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the program has practically completely stopped (completely for Russian and Belarusian citizens). And good that — I have no claims against that. If we talk about recent years, I will quote a letter from the Latvian Real Estate Transactions Association addressed to the president: "We draw your attention that the current Immigration Law provides the possibility for citizens of third countries (except Russian and Belarusian citizens) to receive a residence permit based on the acquisition of real estate. In our opinion, this contributes to the real estate market, as transactions are made in the expensive property segment (from €250,000). From each transaction a state fee is also paid in the land register (1.5% of €250,000 is €3,750). Additionally, each investor pays 5% of the purchase price for granting the residence right, which is at least €12,500. Such foreign investments in real estate also create additional demand for services of local companies, namely, various engineers, construction, design, interior design, carpentry, metalworking and other craftsmen's work, as well as increase demand for construction materials, interior and locally produced goods." "…in order to receive the first temporary residence permit, in 2025 49 payments were made with a total amount of €750,054.25 (for transactions of approximately €15 million). For receiving repeated temporary residence permits for previously purchased real estate or for registering them (as of 12 October 2025 for 2025) within the same program, 89 payments were made with a total amount of €375,000." So 49 new applications and 89 extensions!!! In context, that's about 1/2 of the number of apartments sold in a Bonava project in Pierīga. There are also opponents who believe that this will affect apartment prices, i.e., apartments will become more expensive and less accessible to local buyers. Currently Riga has by far the lowest real estate prices in the Baltics. And when I say "by far", that's an understatement. In the secondary market in Riga's micro-districts, prices are often about 2–2.5 times lower than in Vilnius and about half lower than in Tallinn. On the other hand, according to Global Property Guide 2026 data. Tallinn ~3,100, Vilnius ~3,060, Riga ~2,650.. Obviously, there is absolutely zero correlation with TUA, but a huge connection with Vilnius's fintech ecosystem and general economic activity in the capitals of our neighboring countries. I won't even mention the premium segment, it is said that in Vilnius it has already reached ~€7,000 per square meter. But let's continue about security. Personally, I follow the Donbrava investigative commission very actively. According to his words (see image), ~107 thousand third-country citizens currently reside in Latvia.

What do you want? Everything is in force! No coat of arms license plates? Get lost! Wait another three years! The initiative is what matters!🤡

And still being prepared? The giver.🤡 This person is a d...er, not a doer. Remember that at the elections. https://t.co/O0ixHvBRHe

The new Liepāja prison has been built in accordance with Latvian and international requirements, and its purpose is not only to keep people behind closed doors but to ensure safe, lawful, and resocialization-oriented execution of sentences, comments the Minister of Justice Edvards Smiltēns (AS) regarding the prisoners' hunger strike. https://t.co/GJ7QDO1CFf

As we discussed with employers today. We have a bunch of laws and regulations that require allocating funding to various sectors as a certain % of GDP. And there, when adding up, about one billion euros is missing. For a long time. That is on top of the already existing deficit (borrowed money) of 2 billion per year. It will never be fulfilled, even theoretically impossible. Such regulations should be thrown in the trash. There is a list.