This week Krišjānis Kariņš’s second government received a vote of confidence from the Saeima. Now that the government approves of the new government, residents expect from the legislator quick and productive work to resolve many of Latvia’s still existing problems – not just economic or geopolitical, but also humane. Unfortunately, so far the news coming from the government building located on Jekaba Street does not inspire hope.
It seems members of the new Saeima would rather put away both the initiatives coming from residents and the baggage left from the 13th Saeima. Members of the parliament either demonstratively reject them or put them on ice.
«The policy for values is a very beautiful term I would like to hold it up as a flag up high,» said Combined List political party’s leader Uldis Pīlēns in his interview to BNN this week. He says he wants to believe, but will his own political project keep up with him and his own values? In a lengthy but constructive interview, the businessman-turned-politician touches on topics like the sea port reform, demands of local governments, EU’s green course and other important issues.
The rocky road towards more anti-Russian sanctions his a snag this week, as Baltic States and Poland uncharacteristically blocked new sanctions. The reason – the need to prevent possible circumvention of sanctions.
This week the European Central Bank announced the decision to further increase the main interest rate. NATO, on the other hand, announced the agreement to significantly increase the alliance’s budget. Both of these decisions will have an impact on our lives. More money means more security.
BNN gives you a summery of the most relevant events of the past week in the following topics: Finally!; Protectors of decency; UN gets fertilizer; Amateur once again; Not this time; Admitting the obvious; Slow the inflation; Price of security.
FINALLY!
Krišjānis Kariņš’s second government receives vote of confidence from 14th Saeima
Photo: Zane Bitere/LETAOn Wednesday, the 14th of December, the Saeima held a confidence vote for Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš’s second government. 54 deputies voted in favour of the new government, 37 voted against, as reported by Saeima’s press-service.
Kariņš’s second government will consist of Ināra Mūrniece as Minister of Defence, Edgars Rinkēvičs as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ilze Indriksone as Minister of Economics, Arvils Ašeradens as Minister of Finances, Māris Kučinskis as Minister of the Interior, Anda Čakša as Minister of Education and Science.
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PROTECTORS OF DECENCY
Latvian parliament rejects Civil Union Law; work on 13th Saeima’s initiative to stop
Protest outside the Saeima: participants urge legislator to provide protection for all families. Photo: Paula Čurkste/LETAOn Thursday, the 15th of December, the 14th Saeima decided to discontinue the Civil Union legislative draft left from the 13th Saeima. This legislative initiative suggested a new option for legal registration of cohabitation of two adult persons.
The legislative draft also provided recognition and legal protection for same-sex couples.
With the 13th Saeima unable to pass the Civil Union Law, the Dzīvesbiedri [Spouses] movement decided on the 27th of October to submit to the Saeima the initiative On Legal Protection of All Families, which previously received more than 23 000 signatures from Latvian residents on Manabalss.lv public initiatives portal.
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UN GETS FERTILIZER
Russian mineral fertilizers released following request from Guterres
The ship Asian Majesty. Photo: FlickrUnited Nations Secretary General Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres has requested permission from Latvia to take over sanctioned mineral fertilizers owned by a firm of a Russian billionaire, as reported by TV3 programme Nekā personīga.
The goods in question are locked down at the Freeport of Riga. The programme reports they have a letter from URALHIM owner, Russian billionaire Dmitry Mazepin, who is a close acquaintance of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
In the letter sent to Latvia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he asks the mineral fertilizer shipment – approximately 200 000 tonnes – to be released and allowed to be exported to Africa. A similar request was sent to Latvia’s President Egils Levits by UN Secretary General Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres in October.
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AMATEUR ONCE AGAIN
BNN ASKS | Uldis Pīlēns: «Our politics and civil service are too fragmented»
Uldis Pīlēns. Photo: Paula Čurkste/LETANon-party affiliated businessman, private person and founder and manager of a political party that is now part of the ruling government. The conversation (though remote due to the man’s high political workload) with technocratic Uldis Pīlēns at the beginning of the week passed, it would seem, with the leader of the Combined List holding in his hands the new government’s declaration.
I can only guess what «real» politicians see in this document. But I have a feeling its architect sees a well-put-together blueprint that should eventually take the shape of a new structure.
What is your opinion in regards to political caricatures depicting you as a yellow plastic bath toy? So far these are found mainly in Ir magazine, but I think they could become very popular.
-I am very positive about that. The yellow plastic duck was also our bus mascot during the election campaign.
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NOT THIS TIME
Lithuanian minister: Baltic States and Poland block new anti-Russian sanctions
Photo: Kristaps Gulbis/Ministry of Foreign AffairsOn Thursday, the 15th of December, Baltic States – Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia – and Poland blocked the new package of anti-Russian sanctions proposed by the European Union. The reason is because western nations suggested making exports of animal feeds and fertilizers an exception, said Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Gabrielius Landsbergis.
He said inclusion of cases of exception could contribute to circumvention of sanctions.
«If such a large political gap is created to support all EU member states, I believe it could be used not only to resolve certain issues but also circumvent sanctions,» the minister told journalists.
He said Lithuania and Poland blocked the approval of the package of sanctions on Thursday, the 15th of December. The other Baltic States supported this position.
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ADMITTING THE OBVIOUS
European Parliament declares holodomor a genocide of Ukrainian people
Photo: UnsplashOn Thursday, the 15th of December, the European Parliament declared in an official resolution that holodomor, which is believed by many to be an intentional and artificially created famine organised by Soviet politicians in Ukraine in 1932 and 1933 – was a genocide of the Ukrainian people, as reported by the parliament’s press-secretary Jānis Skrastiņš.
The resolution was passed with 507 votes in favour, 12 against and 17 MEPs abstaining.
In this resolution MEPs condemn this action that led to millions of Ukrainians dying. MEPs urge all countries and organisations that have yet to recognise holodomor a genocide to do this now. MEPs also express sadness that 90 years after holodomor Russia once again commits horrible crimes against the Ukrainian people.
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SLOWING THE INFLATION
European Central Bank increases interest rate to 2.5%
Photo: FlickrOn Thursday, the 15th of December, the European Central Bank (ECB) decided to increase the main base interest rate by 0.5 percentage points – to 2.5%. This is the fourth consecutive time the ECB increases the interest rate.
During the ECB council’s meeting in Frankfurt it was also decided to increase the overnight deposit rate to 2% and overnight lending rate to 2.75%. Both of these rates were increased by 0.5 percentage points.
In the two previous meetings all three rates were increased by 0.75 percentage points. At the council’s meeting of the 21st of July, in an effort to battle high inflation, ECB decided to implement the first increase of interest rates in the past eleven years, increasing rates by 0.5 percentage points.
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PRICE OF SECURITY
NATO agrees to increase budget for 2023
Photo: UnsplashOn Wednesday, the 14th of December, NATO member states agreed to considerably increase the alliance’s shared budget due to the emerging security concerns and challenges in eastern Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The alliance’s civil budget for 2023 will be increased by 28% to EUR 370.8 million, whereas the military budget for 2023 is set at EUR 1.96 billion, which is 26% higher when compared with 2022, as announced by NATO.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed this decision, saying this is «a concrete expression of a higher level of ambition» among member states.
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BNN SUMMARY OF THE WEEK: Kariņš again. Mineral fertilizers a go. Political Pīlēns. Admit genocide
