On Wednesday, 8 July, during the extraordinary plenary sitting of the Saeima, Raimonds Vējonis assumed his duties of office and took the solemn oath: “I swear that all of my work will be dedicated to the welfare of the people of Latvia. I will do everything in my power to promote the prosperity of the Republic of Latvia and all who live here. I will hold sacred and will observe the Constitution of Latvia and the laws of the State. I will act justly towards all and will fulfil my duties conscientiously.”

On Friday, 26 June 2015, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, awarded certificates of merit to supporters of the Latvian presidency of the Council of the European Union. 

On Saturday, 27 June, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, opened the 76th EU-US interparliamentary meeting by thanking the U.S. for supporting Latvia’s security. “We highly appreciate the leading role the U.S. have taken in reinforcing the NATO Air Policing Mission over the Baltic States, organising military training and organising high-level visits to our region,” said Speaker Mūrniece to the members of the U.S. Congress and the European Parliament. With regard to developments in Ukraine, the Speaker of the Saeima expressed concerns about implementation of the Minsk agreements. “Violent confrontations continue, and people are dying every day. Consequently, the EU extended sanctions against Russia till January. We should make sure that further restrictive measures are imposed if Russia continues its aggression in Ukraine. Our strong and unified action is a key in the quest for the most effective means to deal with the situation,” noted Ināra Mūrniece.

On Saturday, 27 June, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, will open the 76th EU-US Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue (TLD) meeting at the Saeima. 

On Wednesday, 3 June, Raimonds Vējonis was elected as the President of Latvia. In the fifth round of elections, using a secret ballot, 55 MPs voted for and 42 MPs voted against Vējonis. 

On Monday, 1 June, Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, addressed the participants of the plenary meeting of the LIII COSAC (Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union), which is held in Riga 1-2 June and gathers nearly 300 European parliamentarians, including members of the European Parliament, as well as high public officials and experts on European affairs. “The Latvian Presidency of the Council of the EU is facing several challenges, including the Kremlin’s aggression in Ukraine and the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean. These challenges are testing EU’s unity. Therefore, we had to react quickly during these six months. We and Europe as a whole had to respond swiftly to challenges such as the terrorist attacks in Paris, Belgium and Copenhagen, as well as the Kremlin’s aggression in Ukraine”, said the Speaker. 

“The Latvian Presidency of the Council of the European Union and the entire EU has demonstrated its ability to face challenges during these six months. This is also attested by the College of Commissioners, which has announced legislative proposals in areas that require immediate action. These include the situation in Ukraine, the fight against terrorism, the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean, as well as several issues regarding entrepreneurship”, said Lolita Čigāne, Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee of the Saeima. 

Political processes need fresh air to be successful, and that can be supplied by a civil society characterised by maturity, self-respect and active civic involvement,  said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, 29 May, at the opening of the annual Saeima and NGO forum on Involvement, Equality and Solidarity – Modern Values for Security and Freedom.