Latvian Political Monitor

Kulbergs rates his government's work pace as unprecedented in Latvia.

Shlesers: Latvia doesn't decide anything at all, it needs to stop 'yapping'

VIDEO ⟩ Kubergs assessed the pace of work of his government

"We cannot forbid." Braže commented on the arrival of a new group of travelers from Latvia in Nepal.

“Unity’s laws must be changed, boys must be raised as men and fathers, but Putin must not be attached to Šlesers. As for depicting a competitor as Lenin — he himself says he did not do that. We talked with Šlesers about rules and investments for oneself and others. https://t.co/xe8Dpim0ba

Together with Tom Berendsen, Foreign Minister of the Netherlands, we are on the way to the Eastern border of the EU and NATO. Strengthening the security, protecting border, fighting illegal migration, promoting trade and investment on the agenda. 🇱🇻🇳🇱 https://t.co/uCc33ECSyB

Who should play first fiddle in informing the public – Kristīne Kravcova's discussion with Saeima Speaker Daiga Mieriņa (ZZS), Cultural Ministry's parliamentary secretary Ivars Āboliņš (NA) and Latvian Telecommunication Association president Pēteris Šmidre: https://t.co/A2sXIJTDJe https://t.co/QLF8nhBvAC

Kulbergs assesses his government's work pace as unprecedented in Latvia.

@SM_edition_01 The example of Estonia and Lithuania does not confirm this.

Let me remind you of the facts. PROGRESSIVES repeatedly proposed in the coalition to completely stop trade with Russia and Belarus. Unfortunately, this proposal did not have the support of the entire coalition. In the transport sector, in the summer of 2025, we stopped irregular passenger transport to Russia and Belarus. No regular transport licence was extended either; each route is closed as its licence expires. The government's announced termination of regular transport now effectively completes already adopted decisions, as the last licence expires in early 2027. Also, state-owned transport companies have ceased or reduced commercial operations with Russia and Belarus to the minimum required by legislation and international obligations. The PROGRESSIVES' position has been consistent that trade with aggressor states must be ended.

VIDEO ⟩ Kulbergs believes that his government is working at a pace not yet experienced in Latvia (3)

VIDEO ⟩ Shlesers: Latvia decides nothing, it needs to stop 'yapping'

“Such a pace has not been seen in Latvia.” Kulbergs evaluates his government's first 100 days.

Reduction of bureaucracy cannot be just a campaign For citizens, small and medium enterprises, reducing bureaucracy is important. The time we spend on bureaucratic procedures can be spent on much more productive activities. There are many fighters against bureaucracy, but the question is how to do it best? Currently it happens in a campaign-like manner, but there must be clarity on how the review is done regularly and systematically, not when the mood strikes. Now there is a three-year campaign to reduce bureaucracy, but this must be a systematic work of the state administration. As for bureaucracy itself, it must be said that hardly any state can avoid it. The question is how proportionate it is, which things the state can not require and which it can require less, so as not to take away the valuable resource - time. Many say that bureaucracy in Latvia is less than in other countries, but that others are worse does not mean we cannot do better. There is a certain procedure for how new documents are created in state administration. It should include annual policy reviews. Perhaps an additional stage would be needed where the state administration conducts a dialogue with the public. Everything must start with the institution announcing which issues it will work on this year. In Latvia, this is the annual ministry work plan. The practice of ministries with publishing work plans, unfortunately, varies. Some publish, but some do not. It must specify which policies will be reviewed so that the public can prepare. Then there must be an opportunity for interested parties to submit their proposals. Then the ministry starts developing its document. After that follows the current procedure for harmonizing policy documents. This can be combined with innovation laboratories, informational or conceptual reports, and other best practices for discussions and decisions in state administration. The main emphasis is that each ministry must plan bureaucracy reduction and the public must have the opportunity to proactively engage. Solutions can be various on how to achieve this. Currently the habit is to build new procedures; we must also form the habit of reviewing existing ones, doing so systematically. The established bureaucracy reduction group in the new government after the Saeima elections should take time to make bureaucracy review part of the work of the state administration. Otherwise, bureaucracy reduction will remain a campaign that will be here, then not. It is in all our interests to make it a healthy habit. As a Saeima deputy, I have prepared and the Saeima has adopted amendments to the Commercial Law that reduced bureaucracy for Latvian businesses. The amendments made Latvia's legislation the most competitive in the Baltics in one specific matter. Also, car technical inspections are less frequent after my proposal in the Road Traffic Law. These were individual proposals that a deputy has the opportunity to submit. This opportunity must also be used, but there must be a clear procedure for how each ministry evaluates its policies and their procedures. @Jauna_Vienotiba has proven that it can reduce bureaucracy and considers this an important task for the next Saeima.

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He explains parties' obligations to the state with repression, and difficulties in attracting investment with insufficient state support. He gives only a brief assessment of Latvia's possibilities to influence international decisions: "Latvia decides nothing at all"

How can Latvia be in first place in Šlesers's world if Latvia doesn't decide anything? Successes are his merit, failures – others' responsibility. In the podcast "Politicians, what was that all about?!" the "Latvia First" leader Ainārs Šlesers invites trust in his experience, but deflects questions about previous political responsibility by reminding that he hasn't been prime minister yet.