This week’s main «hero» was Latvia’s state company Latvian State Forests – a profitable, environment-managing and a modest public worker. By prohibiting this company from donating money to culture, the government in Latvia even managed to receive the ire of the president. The prime minister’s objections to the company’s self-appointed management may result in internal reformations.
As for state security, this topic is actively discussed from all tribunes. While fire fighters undergo certain «optimisation» measures, the same cannot be said about police force. This is another reminder that an OECD member state overlooks truly fundamental problems.
In Lithuania, meanwhile, politicians actively discuss and propose solutions to their demographic problems. Latvia, on the other hand, still does not consider this problem to a sufficiently serious extent, which is largely thanks to the National Alliance.
Elon Musk stands an educational example of how best to work with share speculations in an oppressed global economy: give the slightest reason for others to doubt you, and it may cost you upwards of 200 billion, and it may make it to the Guinness Book of World Records.
BNN gives you a summery of the most relevant events of the past week in the following topics: Ukraine encouraged; President is angry; Storm coming; Self-restraint; Second Jurmalgate?; Crumbling ranks; Lithuania in decline; An accomplishment of sorts.
UKRAINE ENCOURAGED
Saeima speaker visits Kyiv; promises to «close hell’s gates»
Photo: Juris Vīgulis, Saeima/FlickrOn Thursday, the 12th of January, 14th Saeima speaker Edvards Smiltēns and his delegation arrived in Ukraine’s capital city of Kyiv in order to personally voice Latvia’s support and solidarity with Ukrainian people, as reported by the parliament’s press-service.
There he met with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and his colleague, Verkhovna Rada speaker Ruslan Stefanchuk. He also spoke to members of the parliament.
The Saeima speaker read a speech in Ukrainian language to members of the Ukrainian parliament, thereby demonstrating his respect of the Ukrainian language, as well as the people who have ended up in Latvia and who are now studying Latvian language.
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PRESIDENT IS ANGRY
Latvia’s president criticises government for taking money away from culture
Photo: Zane Bitere/LETAThe Song and Dance Celebration, regional cultural programmes, as well as the State Culture Capital Fun’s (VKKF) financing must not suffer simply because the government suddenly changes the game rules in regards to donations from Latvian State Forests JSC (LVM) towards culture, Latvia’s President Egils Levits wrote on Twitter.
The president stressed that he will invite Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and Minister of Finances Arvils Ašeradens to keep that in mind.
At the end of December 2022 VKKF council chairperson Dace Bluķe invited the government to return to the LVM donation policy. She stressed that the council meeting held several days before Christmas brought rather unpleasant news for the culture sector. Mass media have already reported the government’s arguments against LVM donation policy.
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STORM COMING
Prime minister orders evaluation of candidate selection at Latvian State Forests amid recent scandal
Former FKTK manager Pēters Putniņš. Photo: Sintija Zandersone/LETALatvia’s Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš has ordered Ministry of Agriculture to evaluate the report ordered by the Cross-Sectoral Coordination Centre (PKC) from KPMG Baltics about the compliance of Latvian State Forests (LVM) with good corporate management principles in board and council member selection, as reported by the PM’s office.
The report mentions that there were deviations from PKC guidelines in council member selection, as well as certain actions that affected results of selection procedures. PKC is now tasked with improving regulations that govern the selection process of candidates to become board and council members at state capital associations.
At the same time, LVM council chairman Edmunds Beļskis said he is glad that, according to the report, the nomination process of the company’s board was legal, compliant with regulations, and there were were no violations of regulations. As for PKC guidelines, which are recommendations mostly, LVM council believes it would be a good idea to make them more comprehensive and applicable for similar purposes in LVM and other businesses without room for interpretations.
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SELF-RESTRAINT
Latvian minister calls rights to cancel municipal governments’ decisions as disproportionate
Latvian Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks and Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere. Photo: Paula Čurkste/LETALatvian Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks called the rights to cancel regulation issued by local governments and remove officials are disproportionate, he said in an interview to LTV programme Rīta panorāma.
He stressed that the topic of Riga’s development plan needs to be resolved as quickly as possible, adding that this could be done by amending the Law on Preservation and Protection of the Historic Centre of Riga. The coalition may tackle this issue during its meeting on the 9th of January. Proposition of amendments and their review may take two months.
Amendments would allow two open plans – this would be the fastest way to resolve this situation. The most important aspect, according to the minister, is unblocking Riga to ensure the city can receive investments.
«This is not normal for the economic engine to remain still just because two politicians argued,» Sprindžuks said about the relationship between his predecessor and Riga City Council.
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SECOND «JURMALGATE»?
Latvia’s corruption watchdog reports Ādaži Council deputy received EUR 30 000 bribe
Photo: Zane Bitere/LETALatvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) invites Prosecutor’s Office for Investigation of Criminal Offences in the Service of State Institutions to commence criminal prosecution of a private person for offering a EUR 30 000 bribe to a deputy of Ādaži Council in exchange for a specific vote in election of a new chairman.
The chairman of Ādaži Council was replaced last year after Saeima elections. Māris Sprindžuks, who previously served as the head of the municipality for several years, became Latvia’s Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development.
Sprindžuks was replaced by Karīna Miķelsone on the 1st of November 2022. Replacement of the council chairman was accompanied by major changes to the ruling coalition, as Latvian Association of Regions terminated cooperation with previous partners, replacing them with Latvian Farmers Union, which was previously in opposition. Representative of the Conservative Party Imants Krastiņš lost his post as vice-chairman because of that. Genovefa Kozlovska replaced him.
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CRUMBLING RANKS
Latvian State Police reports shortage of approximately 1 700 workers
Photo: Paula Čurkste/LETALatvian State Police currently has a shortage of approximately 1 700 police workers, as Saeima’s Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee was told by deputy chief of State Police, chief of Main Public Order Police Department Andris Zellis.
The Saeima committee was presented with a report on the situation with road traffic safety. Zellis said that, together with road traffic monitoring, State Police has a shortage of 1 700 workers.
In the road traffic safety control department there are currently 157 vacant posts, which means the department lacks 38% of workers.
At the same time, Zellis also said structural reforms were performed in three of Latvia’s regional police departments last year. Another is planned this year.
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LITHUANIA IN DECLINE
BNN ANALYSES: Deteriorating demographics in Lithuania must be deemed threat to national security
Photo: REUTERS/SCANPIX/LETAA working parliamentary group, chaired by the Seimas Social Affairs and Labour Committee (SRDK) chairman, Justas Džiugelis, has proposed that parliamentary parties sign «a national agreement», recognizing demographic decline as a national threat.
The working group of the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament, to solve labour market problems has been active for almost a year. However, the prepared recommendations on long-term demography and migration policy – they were made public at the turn of years – raised eyebrows even of some of Džiugelis’ fellow Conservatives. For many, the wording is just too harsh or even dramatic.
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AN ACCOMPLISHMENT OF SORTS
Elon Musk sets new world record in wealth decline
Elon Musk at his Tesla Motors plant in Fremont, USA (2011). Photo: Maurizio Pesce/FlickrAmerican millionaire and owner of Tesla Motors Elon Musk has set a new world record in decline f wealth, according to information from Guinness World Records.
This information indicates that between November 2021 and December 2022 Musk has lost approximately USD 165 billion. The data is based on information from Forbes magazine. Guinness explains that other sources suggest that Musk’s overall losses may be even higher than that.
Losses are a result of Tesla shares dropping in value after the purchase of Twitter.
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BNN SUMMARY OF THE WEEK: Forests fall. Hell’s gates. Police shortage. Musk’s «record»
