Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima, congratulated Latvia’s neighbour Lithuania on achieving compliance with the Maastricht criteria as announced by the European Commission on Wednesday, 4 June; that constitutes official permission to begin introduction of the euro.

On Thursday, 29 May, when assessing Valdis Dombrovskis as a possible candidate from Latvia to the new composition of the European Commission, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee, stressed: “Latvia has gained a lot from the European Union in terms of investments, foreign support and security. Now it is our turn to contribute to the work of the European Union in the best way possible by nominating the most professional candidate for the post of European commissioner. Valdis Dombrovskis, who held the office of Prime Minister from 2009 to 2013, guided Latvia through the financial and economic crisis and accession to the euro area, and that attests to his expertise and skills.”

On Tuesday, 27 May, when meeting with Zhang Dejiang, Speaker of the National People’s Congress, during her official visit to China, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, emphasised that active political dialogue and regular bilateral high-level visits between Latvia and China are the foundation for dynamic relations between the two countries, which are characterised by mutual trust and respect. 

On Tuesday, 27 May, as a part of her official visit to China, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, met with Li Keqiang, Premier of the People’s Republic of China. She stressed that “Latvia looks forward to attracting Chinese investments, especially in the areas where China excels on the global scale in terms of both skills and technologies. Besides, Latvia has created an investment-friendly environment, which also includes the main seaports and the special economic zones”.

On Wednesday, 21 May, the steering committee for planning the parliamentary dimension of the Latvian presidency of the Council of the European Union approved parliamentary meetings and conferences to be held during Latvia’s presidency of the Council of the EU in the first half of 2015.

The dialogue between society and the state is a path leading to the achievement of jointly set goals. These goals can be reached in the shortest possible period only if we, as an active, thinking and responsible society, join our efforts, said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 19 May, at the opening of the 8th Saeima and NGO forum on Involvement, Sustainability, Innovations. 

On 4 May, in her address to the participants of the ceremonial sitting held in honour of the 24th anniversary of the renewal of independence of the Republic of Latvia, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, indicated that today Latvia is stronger than ever before, and that we must promptly put this strength to use in order to safeguard the common future of Latvia and Europe.

On 25 April, during the main event of the 4th Youth Parliament, the young people who were particularly active in sectoral committees and who took the initiative in discussions on draft declarations of the Youth Parliament were awarded the title of Future Politician. 

On Friday, 25 April, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, for the first time welcomed Taavi Rõivas, Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, to the Saeima and noted that “good relations between Latvia and Estonia are based on successful interparliamentary cooperation on the bilateral, Baltic, and EU level, as well as within the framework of Nordic-Baltic cooperation. The fact that traditionally Latvia’s, Estonia’s and Lithuania’s highest public officials pay their first foreign visit to the closest neighbouring countries also attests to the friendship among the Baltic States.”