The second round of coalition formation talks continued last week. The process has helped outline topics on which parties can and cannot reach an agreement. The biggest question right now is whether the new coalition will consist of three or four parties.
Elsewhere in the world, specifically Ukraine, the week started off tragically. Russia performed a massive missile attack on Ukraine. From Lviv in the west to Kharkiv in the east, Kiyv in the north and Odessa in the south – missiles hit energy infrastructure objects. Reports were received of dozens killed and many injured.
As the war continues, Latvia continues supporting Ukraine. Latvia is currently Nr. 1 in the world when it comes to support provided to this country in proportion to the country’s GDP.
This week Latvia’s Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia announced that in September 2022 the average consumer price level in the country increased by 22.2% when compared to the same month a year prior.
An interesting piece of news came from Latvia’s parliament. This week the Saeim passed in the second reading amendments to the Election to the European Parliament Law that may stop MEP Tatyana Zhdanok from being reelected as Latvia’s representative again.
BNN gives you a summery of the most relevant events of the past week in the following topics: Round two; Massive missile attack; Nr. 1 in the world; Left neglected; 22.2%; Changes in representations?; Lobbying; European Sky Shield.
ROUND TWO
Second round of coalition formation talks is done; fate of Progressive Party still unclear
New Unity leader Krišjānis Kariņš. Photo: Evija Trifanova/LETAIn accordance with President Egils Levits invitation, this week New Unity held in-depth with potential coalition partners – Combined List, National Alliance and Progressive Party – about the future government’s priorities for the next four years.
As New Unity leader Krišjānis Kariņš said after talks held on Thursday, 13 October, his party has found both similarities and differences in opinions with potential partners on various topics.
Last week New Unity’s politicians started inviting Progressive Party to coalition formation talks. Both parties agreed that they stand in favour of rule of law and respecting rulings of the Constitutional Court. The main disagreements are related to budget-related topics.
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MASSIVE MISSILE ATTACK
Missile attacks on Ukraine continue; critical infrastructure and people in the sights
Photo: Reuters/SCANPIX/LETAA wave of explosions has gone over all of Ukraine since the morning on 10 October – all the way from Lviv in the country’s west to Kharkiv in the east, from Kyiv in the north to Odessa in the south, BBC reports.
Explosions in Kyiv are much closer to the city centre when compared to the attacks suffered at the beginning of the war. Sirens have been active across Kyiv for the last several hours.
According to the video published on social networks, one of the missiles fired by Russian forces may have struck the newly-constructed cycling and pedestrian bridge in Kyiv, which was opened in 2019 and known locally as Klitchko Bridge.
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NR. 1 IN THE WORLD
Latvian minister: we’re Nr. 1 when it comes to military aid for Ukraine
Photo: UnsplashLatvia continues provided aid to Ukraine in its war against Russia. The country is Nr. 1 among countries when it comes to donations in proportion to their respective GDP, as Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs wrote on Twitter.
Between 24 February and 3 October 2022 Latvia has donated 0.9% of its GDP to Ukraine. Estonia is second with 0.8% of GDP and Poland is third with 0.5% of its GDP.
Data from the Kiel Institute for the World Economy indicates that Latvia has donated a total of EUR 314 million, which is the 16th best result in the world and the biggest amount of support provided when compared to the country’s GDP.
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LEFT NEGLECTED
Latvian State Audit: civil protection and catastrophe management system remains neglected
Photo: Armīns Janiks (Ministry of Defence)/FlickrThe civil protection and catastrophe management system largely remains neglected, and generally the civil protection system does not offer prerequisites for effective catastrophe and crisis management, as concluded in the report composed by the State Audit on the function of the aforementioned system.
State Audit notes that the entire system requires improvements in order for Latvia to be able to prepare for possible crises appropriately, prevent and overcome them efficiently and reduce the negative impact from catastrophes on people’s health, their lives and the country’s economy.
State Audit council member Kristīne Jaunzeme notes that the audit regarding the planning of the state civil protection system was done in a time when the world’s focus was on the Covid-19 pandemic. The final stage of the audit was done around the time when Russia invaded Ukraine. This is also when most of the attention was on managing the Covid-19 pandemic.
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INFLATION AT 22.2%
September’s expected inflation in Latvia at 22.2%
Photo: UnsplashIn September 2022, compared to September 2021, the average level of consumer prices increased by 22.2 %.
Compared to September 2021, the average level of consumer prices was mainly influenced by the rise in prices of goods and services related to housing, food and non-alcoholic beverages, goods and services related to transport, within the miscellaneous goods and services group, restaurant and hotel services, goods and services related to recreation and culture, health care, alcoholic beverages and tobacco products, furnishings in September 2022, according to the latest data from the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia.
Over the year, prices within the group of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 27.5 %.
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CHANGES IN REPRESENTATION?
Photo: Zane Bitere/LETASaeima supports amendments to stop Zhdanok from being elected to the European Parliament as Latvia’s representative
On Thursday, 13 October, the Saeima supported in the second reading amendments to the Election to the European Parliament Law. These amendments may prevent MEP Tatyana Zhdanok from being reelected as Latvia’s representative to the European Parliament.
64 deputies voted in favour, 17 deputies voted against (15 members of Harmony, except for Inga Goldberga and Nikolajs Kabanovs and two non-faction deputies Ļubova Švecova and Ainārs Vilciņš).
It is also planned to list in the law that it is not allowed to pick a person who served in the Soviet Union’s Communist Party (Latvian Communist Party) after 13 January 1991 as a candidate for elections to the European Parliament.
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LOBBYING
Latvian parliament passes so-called lobbying law
Photo: Ieva Ābele, Saeima/FlickrOn Thursday, 13 October, Latvian Saeima passed in the final reading the Law on Transparency of Representation of Interests or the so-called lobbying transparency law.
According to the Saeima’s press-service, the law requires the register of interest representation and declaration system, which will be maintained by the Enterprises Register, will start operations on 1 September 2025.
The law currently does not list any administrative penalties, however. Previously, Saeima’s Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee approved the idea to cease using the previously intended approach for administrative penalties. This decision was made because the expected regulation is not simple and it would not be the correct course of action to punish someone who may have accidentally misunderstood the expected requirements, as was mentioned in previous discussions.
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EUROPEAN SKY SHIELD
15 NATO member states agree on creation of European anti-air defence system
Photo: Unsplash15 countries members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, among which are Latvia and Lithuania, have agreed on the creation of a European anti-air defence system as suggested by Germany.
A letter of intent for the creation of a European anti-aid defence system European Sky Shield was signed in Brussels by Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia and Finland on Thursday, 13 October. Estonia, too, plans to join this project.
German Minister of Defence Christine Lambrecht said the project’s goal is covering the breach in anti-air defence. She said that as Russia continues the war in Ukraine, we are living in a dangerous time with many challenges ahead.
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BNN summary of the week: Round two. Missile attack on Ukraine. Inflation
