Latvian Political Monitor

The discussion included representatives of global finance, defense, cybersecurity, pharmaceutical, and beverage industries: Citi, Lockheed Martin, Bristol Myers Squibb, Coca-Cola Company, and others. The interest of such companies confirms the potential to expand 🇱🇻-🇺🇸 economic cooperation & investments.

Transatlantic economic cooperation is becoming increasingly important. Today I met with the delegation of the American-Central European Business Association (ACEBA) and its leader Eric Stewart. We discussed economic development and the investment environment, as well as security needs and financing of the health sector https://t.co/042g7YngNG

As a minister and as a political force, ZZS wants to reduce bureaucracy so that forest owners have greater freedom and fewer obstacles from the state. The Ministry of Agriculture is advancing amendments to two Cabinet of Ministers regulations to reduce bureaucracy and administrative burden. Overall, this would allow forest owners to save approximately 5.9 million euros. Unfortunately, the party “Progresīvie” has been blocking the progress of these regulations in government since last autumn and does not support Latvia's forest owners. The Progressives and their deputy Edmunds Cepurīts are doing everything to destroy our forestry sector and take 5.9 million euros away from forest owners.

🔵 Today we meet @tv24_lv on the program Kārtības rullis! ❓Current issue - reducing bureaucracy! https://t.co/uRXcGFYcHr

Rail Baltica documents are being concealed. Why? When it comes to billions from the state and EU budget, the public has the right to know how taxpayers' money is being spent. But the funding information is being given restricted-access status. That is not acceptable. Rail Baltica must be a transparent project, not a secret.

Today at the coalition partners' meeting we are looking at handing over the licensing and supervision of non-bank lenders to @LatvijasBanka. This is a significant step for the industry's growth: ✅ a unified, professional, risk-based supervision model ✅ elimination of duplication of functions ✅ more efficient public administration https://t.co/eqPW7G3v5F https://t.co/8hCc3BwlNC

Today the National Alliance council meeting gathered the team in Alsunga. The main focus – communication and preparation for the upcoming Saeima elections. At the same time, Alsunga allowed us to feel something special – living Suiti traditions and a rich cultural heritage that makes Kurzeme unique.

Thank you to Turība Business School for the invitation to participate in an afternoon conversation with political party leaders. We talked about Latvia's future development – economic growth, the importance of human capital, and how to make brave decisions that help the country develop! https://t.co/Deb9JqePed

In the Rail Baltica project, we see questionable use of funds — a support for more than €20 million in the Daugava that may not be needed for the next 10 years, and construction towards Mārupe even though the government halted it. A billion-euro project must have strict financial control and full transparency. https://t.co/BVBO2Z149C

Meeting with AI pioneer Ē.Urtāns about the possibilities of artificial intelligence and how to use them for the benefit of Latvia. AI is not a matter of the future. It is already the present! Latvia must be brave and smart – develop the use of AI in public administration, optimize processes, automation, and support entrepreneurs. https://t.co/UpkMdQBbJD

With the management of the 'State Defense Corporation' & @AizsardzibasMin, we discussed the development of the industry - investment management, production coordination, and the corporation's role in strengthening the military industry ecosystem. This is an industry with significant economic growth potential!

🔵 That bureaucracy in the country must be reduced is clear to everyone! However, criticism alone is not enough if we want real change! 📍 We must provide proposals that ease work for entrepreneurs and make the country more competitive! Currently the process has been started in the construction sector, about it ⤵️ https://t.co/ewAn4UeQdM

The results show that the decisions taken to restrict imports from Russia and Belarus are working. Agricultural product imports from Russia fell by 30% in 2024 and by a further 85% in 2025. Imports from Belarus have also declined significantly. These restrictions have not caused problems with food availability or supply. Latvia can provide itself with the main foodstuffs and products, and in many product groups the self-sufficiency level even exceeds 100%. I am convinced these restrictions are the right decision, because the ability to provide ourselves with food is one of the foundations of national security. 🇱🇻🌾

HOME SCHOOLING AND TEACHER PRESTIGE - The Saeima's attack on homeschooling and distance learning as alternative forms of education is an illustration of politicians' short-sightedness. Paths to education are being banned that, firstly, are based on parents' rights to determine what is most suitable for their children, and secondly, that often prepare students better than the classic in-person school model. Thirdly, such a system does not create greater financial obligations in the education budget than forcing all children into in-person school desks. Quite the opposite. Therefore, in the Saeima's decision to ban homeschooling and distance learning, I see an unjustified manifestation of power, a restriction of parents' rights and the creative potential of their freedom of action. I trust parents who care for their children. - In Latvia, there are approximately 300 families that practice homeschooling, i.e., completing an education program in which the parents themselves and/or a hired private teacher are the only educators of the children. Most often these are distinctly favorable, healthy families that genuinely care about their children's future. Moreover, this model strengthens family bonds. - In addition to a deeper understanding of the child as a person, homeschooling can change the teacher's role and perception in the eyes of society, helping to restore the prestige of a professional educator. This is the task of private teachers, to be accomplished through good and excellent examples of homeschooling. - In my modest pedagogical and academic experience, I have met a few professionally high-quality teachers and professors whose pedagogical potential is wasted due to uninterested audiences. And the Saeima supports this by denying homeschooling as an alternative model, even if it were the only direction for their reorientation - private tutoring. - Until now, private tutoring has mostly been associated with individual study programs for children who, for various reasons, have faced pedagogical difficulties and are at risk of failing. That is a rather heavy burden, which teachers often take on not out of a sense of mission but for financial reasons. Fortunately, such cases are almost absent in homeschooling families. However, they can offer the opposite - a naturally interested child, motivated by direct responsibility before their parents. - One can only imagine what the outcome of the cooperation between such a child and a classically educated private teacher/tutor would be. In my opinion, the greatest benefit of such a relationship would be the privilege to work according to an individual study program, in which the private teacher has reduced the content included in school programs that could be called 'excess and unnecessary,' replacing it with the meaningful and useful, firstly based on the student's personal development, secondly, carrying out in-depth rather than superficial mastery of the material, adapting it, of course, also to the future educational path. - It should be noted that this is not only a question of the teacher's pedagogical talent implementation. It also has logical economic significance. Given the social background of homeschooling families, they represent a middle or relatively affluent part of the middle class, creating a daily routine that allows them to devote workdays to educating their children. Homeschooling families can afford to hire private teachers. I doubt there is even one family in Latvia that would hire a full-time tutor-teacher, but I firmly believe that working with several homeschooling families sums up to a higher salary than that of teachers working in state schools for full-time work. Homeschooling expands the audience and demand market for private teachers. - I hope that after October 3rd a storm of change will come, restoring common sense in the education sector, without sabotaging parents' responsibility for their children and without limiting teachers' growth opportunities.