The Saeima will participate in the light festival Staro Rīga (Shining Riga) for the second year. This year it will present an audio-visual history of the fundamental values enshrined in the Constitution adopted 90 years ago.

On Thursday, 15 November, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the Law on Medium-Term Budget Framework for 2013–2015, the Law on the State Budget for 2013, as well as amendments to 25 budget-related laws. This is the first time in the history of the Saeima that it adopts a law multi-annual budget.

On Tuesday, 13 November, the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee of the Saeima supported in principle amendments to several laws which aim to decrease alcohol consumption among children and youths; amendments also state that individuals purchasing alcohol for youths, as well as sellers of illegal alcohol, will be held accountable. The Committee supported forwarding the amendments to the Handling of Alcoholic Beverages Law, the Law on Police, and the Latvian Administrative Violations Code for consideration by the Saeima in the first reading.

“Coordinated action and mutual support are needed not only on the Barricades or during the Singing Revolution. Our cooperation is necessary and meaningful in doing our everyday work, defending joint positions in the European Union or implementing yet another project that is beneficial for inhabitants of our border regions,” said Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, 9 November, when addressing the parliamentarians of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia at the 31st Session of the Baltic Assembly held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 8 to 9 November.

The Baltic Assembly calls on the parliaments and governments of the Baltic States, as well as the Baltic Council of Ministers, to devise cooperation mechanisms for the Baltic financial markets, to combat tax fraud and the spread of drugs, as well as to pursue joint energy projects and cooperation in the sphere of research. These areas of focus are included in the Resolution of the Baltic Assembly adopted on 9 November at the 31st Session of the Baltic Assembly held in Vilnius.

The fate of the Republic of Latvia established on 18 November 1918 as a free and democratic state was determined In Riga on 11 November 1919.

On Thursday, 8 November, Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, opened the students’ photography exhibition “Feeling Secure in Latvia”. In her address the Speaker emphasised the value of independence and the importance of preserving it. She also emphasised the responsibility for our nation’s security that we all share. The exhibition offers a view of Latvia as seen by Latvian students and reveals their perception of security in family, among friends, in school and throughout the country.