BNN summary of the week: Unemployment in Latvia. New EP President. Olympic boycott

This week Latvia was struck by strong winds in more ways than one: a lot of damage, emergencies, accidents and at least one confirmed death.
The massive wave of new Covid-19 infection cases hit all Baltic States equally hard. Nearly every fifth test result turned out positive. Although hospitals have so far managed to deal with the influx of new patients, the situation should be come clearer after a couple of weeks.
This week the European Parliament got a new president – Malta’s Prime Minister Roberta Metsoli. Latvia’s representative Roberts Zīle was elected as Vice-President.
Estonia announced this week that it’s officials, too, plan to boycott the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing. This means Latvia is the only Baltic State that has not risen against China in this manner.
BNN gives you a summery of the most relevant events of the past week in the following topics: European Parliament; Unemployment; Position; Storm; Party fallen apart; Olympic games; Covid in Lithuania.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
Malta’s Roberta Metsola elected as European Parliament’s new president
The new President of European Parliament Roberta Metsoli. Photo: AP/ScanpixThe Prime Minister of Malta Roberta Metsola has been elected as the new President of the European Parliament.
Metsola is Malta’s MEP representing the European People’s Party. Until now she served as the first vice-president in the European Parliament.
She received 458 votes in the first vote.
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UNEMPLOYMENT
Actual unemployment in Latvia reported at 7.6% in 2021
Photo: Evija Trifanova/LETAIn December 2021, the actual unemployment rate in Latvia was 7.6 %, up by 0.5 percentage points compared to November.
The male unemployment rate rose by 0.7 percentage points to 8.6 % in December, while for females it increased by 0.3 percentage points to 6.6 %, according to data of the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Central Statistical Bureau (CSP).
The unemployment rate registered with the State Employment Agency was 6.7 %, 0.3 percentage points higher than in November.
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POSITION
Latvia’s Constitution Protection Bureau receives a new director
ScreenshotOn Thursday, 20 January, Latvia’s Saeima elected Egils Zviedris as the new Director of the Constitution Protection Bureau (SAB).
Previously 90 Saeima deputies voted in favour of appointing Zviedris to this position and no one voted against or abstained in the vote.
As previously reported, the National Security Council had previously agreed on picking Zviedris for the post of SAB director. Until now he served as SAB deputy director and the chief of the Intelligence Office.
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STORM
Storm in Jurmala kills one, fells trees and damages buildings
Photo: Edijs Pālens/LETAThe strong wind that was present in Latvia on Monday, 17 January, reached the strength of a storm in many parts of the country, felling trees, breaking off branches, tearing roofs and facades of buildings.
The storm broke off a tree branch, which fell and caused a lethal injury to a woman in Jurmala.
By 21:30 on Monday rescue services received more than 300 calls, detailing situations involving broken off tree branches and ripped roof structures, as reported by the State Fire and Rescue Service.
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PARTY FALLEN APART
Corruption watchdog: For a Humane Latvia has illegally used state budget funding
Photo: Evija Trifanova/LETAPolitical party For a Humane Latvia (previously known as KPV LV) has illegally used Latvia’s state budget financing and will therefore not receive EUR 646 303 from the state this year. On top of that, if the party does not return the money, the already thinned party will come at risk of termination.
On 13 January Latvia’s Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB) made the decision to put the payment of state budget financing of EUR 646 303 to the political party For a Humane Latvia for one year, as confirmed by KNAB.
This decision was made in accordance with Law on Financing of Political Organisations because KNAB found that in 2020 the party in question had illegally used the state budget financing of more than EUR 300 000.
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OLYMPIC GAMES
Estonian government officials in no mood to attend Beijing Olympics
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Photo: Jacques Witt/SIPA/SCANPIXThe events of the Beijing Winter Olympics will not be attended neither by members of the Estonian government, nor by Estonian President Alar Karis, ERR reports.
«The Ministry of Foreign Affairs does not know of any Estonian government members planning to participate in the Beijing Olympics,» on Monday, January 17, Kristina Ots from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted to ERR.
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COVID IN LITHUANIA
BNN ANALYSES | Lithuanian medical staff not to have mandatory vaccination amid 7,057 new Covid-19 cases
A medical centre in Vilnius. Photo: 15min.lt/SCANPIXLithuania has recorded a new mind-blowing high of 7,057 daily coronavirus infections, as well as nine deaths from Covid-19 on Thursday, January 20, the country’s statistical office, Statistics Lithuania, announced. On the previous day, 6,257 cases were reported.
The ruling conservative-liberal Coalition, which, some say, has pinned all of its hopes in curbing the contagious virus on the encompassing vaccination, including mandatory inoculation of health and social sector workers, suffered a huge setback on Thursday, January 20, after the Seimas, the country’s legislative body, voted down the proposal on obligatory inoculation for all medics, social and other contact service workers.
Sixty MPs voted in favour of compulsory vaccinations, 53 voted against and ten abstained.
«We need to use a whole range of measures to minimise the spread of the virus», said Eugenijus Gentvilas, head of the Liberal Movement’s political group in the Seimas, said before the voting. «Every life is worth the effort of MPs to take measures. If we fail to take measures, we must take some responsibility for each death», he added.
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