Honourable Madam Speaker,
Honourable members of parliament,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I
The 13th convocation of the Saeima will enter at least three paradoxical conclusions in the political history of the state of Latvia.
First: the government was created by the smallest party within in the Saeima, whilst one of the largest disintegrated with astounding speed.
Second: the initially seemingly unstable coalition made up of five, later four ideologically very different parties has turned out to be surprisingly lasting and productive. For the first time in the history of Latvia, the government has worked for a full four years.
Third: two unprecedented and harsh crises – the global pandemic and Russia’s war against Ukraine – have fundamentally changed the political agenda. However, you, the 13th convocation of the Saeima, are also the ones who have adopted a significant number of conceptually important laws. In the long-term these will improve national security and the development of Latvia as a modern state based on the rule of law.
II
Thanks to the the close cooperation among the 13th convocation of the Saeima, the government and the highest state officials, our national security has been significantly reinforced. More allied forces, better armament and command structures – these are the results of the Madrid NATO summit. Defence spending will be increased up to 2.5% of the GDP.
However, Russia’s aggressive imperialism will continue to be a threat to Latvia and Europe in the foreseeable future.
Therefore, the proposal from the minister of defence to establish a State Defence Service as of 2023, is a timely and necessary one, and it should be supported. Because the responsibility for the state, its independence and democracy lies upon the shoulders of its citizens.
The law adopted by the Saeima on defence education in schools will promote civic learning and patriotism. Defence education will be an education in citizenship.
III
The capital renovation of the financial system performed by the Saeima and the government serves the security of the state. Our financial system can no longer be used for criminal purposes, the reputation of the state of Latvia has been restored.
IV
Trust in courts and the rule of law is promoted by the Economic Court established by the legislator based on the proposal by the minister of justice. This court provides a faster and more efficient opportunity to crack down on various schemers. The Economic Court and the amendments to procedural legislation which you have adopted will preclude the possibility for some crooks to delay court proceedings for years thus undermining public trust in justice.
In the long-term, the project of the Ministry of Justice to establish a Justice Academy is equally important. This will be an institution for the continuous and life-long education of judges and prosecutors. It will ensure constant, high quality development of the justice system.
V
After heated debates, the 13th convocation of the Saeima adopted the Administrative Territorial Reform proposed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development.
The reform ensures that municipalities are economically more capable, while services become equally available to everyone and in higher quality. This truly is one of the most important reforms of recent years.
In turn, the Law on Local Governments, which this convocation of the Saeima still needs to adopt, will provide people with the right to elect their own representatives for dealing with local level matters. This is an issue of civic participation and democracy.
Meanwhile, the already adopted law on the historical Latvian lands will strengthen the sense of belonging for our people both on a local, and a national level. The Historical Lands Council headed by the minister of culture will promote the implementation of diverse local initiatives.
This whole body of laws will serve to improve the welfare, rootedness and democratic participation of our people.
VI
The Higher Education Reform initiated by the Ministry of Education and Science and further elaborated by the Education Committee of the Saeima was one that had been delayed for years, failing to move forward, but now it has finally been completed. It is an extremely important reform.
However, the reform will only be effective if higher education and science receive adequate funding. Science is the foundation of a modern state. Politicians need to be able to incorporate this causal relationship into the national budgetary framework.
VII
The 13th convocation of the Saeima has demonstrated that democracy can hold its own, it can defend itself.
For the first time in the history of Latvia, the Saeima dissolved the city council of the capital, because in a democratic state based on the rule of law it is not permissible that a local government protractedly fails to implement a court ruling.
The decision of the 13th convocation of the Saeima to significantly increase state funding for political parties, as well as the legislative amendments by which funding is partly withdrawn from dissolved parties which are no longer able to fulfil the promises they have made to their voters, support the overall health of our democracy. Democracy requires that political parties depend exclusively on their voters and not self-serving sponsors.
VIII
All of the aforementioned reforms will have an impact on the long-term development of Latvia.
However, there is a whole row of other laws and decisions that could be mentioned which set right various acute, protractedly unresolved problems, such as the rent law and the compulsory divided property reform, the Law on Public Mass Media, the Law on Ports, improvements to the funding model for the State Culture Capital Foundation and many more.
IX
Honourable members of parliament,
Based on public concern about the rising energy prices, the 13th convocation of the Saeima has in a timely and considered manner taken the decision to partly compensate this increase and to provide aid to the most affected households. So far, 442 million euros have been earmarked for this aid. Another 50 million euros will be provided in support for energy-intensive business.
However, would the situation not have been much better and the costs much lower if expansive wind farms were already operational, rather than only being discussed now? If an LNG terminal had already been built three years ago? If many households had already transitioned to renewable energy sources and more buildings had been insulated? All of this was known years ago already, but we are just finally starting to work on these issues.
The European Commission announced the Green Deal in 2019. Extensive funding was made available to this end. Yet, it feels like we have been standing on the doorstep for years, unable to make a decisive step forward. This cannot go on.
X
Latvia and the world are on the verge of a completely new era. This is a new economy, which will require new skills and which will be based on renewable resources, science, digitisation and innovations.
Allow me to remind you that our international ranking in theses areas is below the European average.
We are lagging behind. In Latvia, we have not prepared proper, sufficiently stable foundations for this new phase of global development.
It will be the duty of the next convocation of the Saeima and the government to eliminate this status arrested development in which we have found ourselves over the past years and decades by promoting an economy based on technology and innovation and measurable in export capacity.
XI
Ladies and gentlemen,
It is clear that our underdevelopment is especially pronounced in areas where governmental cross-sectoral coordination and cooperation is needed.
I have already noted on several occasions that the system of state governance, which was established in the early 20th century is no longer appropriate for the needs of the 21st century. If we want to have a modern state, we need modern state governance which can efficiently deal with modern challenges, meaning both a flexible model of political government, as well as a modern and efficient civil service.
From the next candidate for prime minister, I will demand a concrete plan for reforming state governance.
XII
Honourable members of parliament, ladies and gentlemen,
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is an attack on the self-determination rights of a nation, the global order of the rule of law, European values and global security.
Latvia has and will continue to help Ukraine.
Our foreign minister’s clearly defined, consistent and unrelenting policy against the aggressor state has significantly influenced the common policy of the European Union. It has increased the political weight within Europe of our state, Latvia, and our whole region.
XIII
The war against Ukraine has also vividly illuminated the remnants of Soviet occupation and colonisation in our own land.
They had become intertwined into our daily life, to a great extent society had become used to them. For 30 years they continued poisoning our society.
For 30 years we continued to walk on streets named after people who enforced the occupation power’s will.
For 30 years we accepted that failure to know the official language of the state is not an obstacle to getting a job, while failure to know Russian may be.
Even though the nationally oriented part of society and the political forces representing it had always consistently indicated that this colonial heritage was inappropriate for a modern, democratic, national state, up until now efforts to do away with it had not been successful.
But today, influenced by Russia’s aggression, our society has become more sensitive, more clear-sighted. It better sees the splinters left behind in our souls by the occupants.
XIV
I would like to highlight that the 13th convocation of the Saeima has already taken several important decisions in order to rid our state of the consequences of Soviet colonialism.
The occupation monument has been demolished. It will no longer serve in the Kremlin’s ideological rituals. By November, monuments glorifying the occupation will have disappeared throughout the country. Russian propaganda channels have been closed. The security agencies and the police have been provided the legal basis to address public glorification of Russian imperialism and aggression.
XV
Yet I would especially like to highlight the involvement of society. For example, indications by poet Liāna Langa and other activists in regard to the groundlessly broad use of Russian have made many people see the most obvious aspects of this colonial heritage.
And many have changed their minds about it. Because our state has a common official language. It is the language of democratic communication regardless of what one's mother-tongue or nationality may be.
Association “Public Memory Centre” has done a great amount of work in compiling a national scale list of streets and places named after Soviet occupants and their collaborators. It is now the task of local governments to go through this list.
We have our own people, events, memorial days which are important for us, rather than a foreign power, an occupying regime, and streets and squares on which we live our daily lives and which shape our understanding of history ought to be named in honour of these instead.
We are part of the cultural space of Europe. We are part of the the democratic world. It is high time to completely free ourselves from any remaining – visible and invisible – remnants of the occupation regime.
This is our duty towards our independent, democratic, national state of Latvia. It is the duty of a free nation!
XVI
Honourable members of parliament,
There are several more laws which I hope that you will still manage to adopt in this work session of the 13th convocation of the Saeima.
Soon, you will examine in the second reading the draft law on the transition to education in the official language. This is an extremely important reform.
Learning together, children will naturally lay roots into Latvia’s system of democratic values.
The Ministry of Justice is working on a law to prevent any possibility for Latvians to be discriminated against in their own country. I hope that you will begin examining it still in this convocation.
And on 15 October the Official Language Day will be marked for the second time. Let me remind you that by then our society expects to hear a government report on the situation of the state language in the country. This report ought to become an annual tradition.
XVII
Furthermore, I urge you today to adopt through the urgent procedure the amendments which I have proposed to the Law on the Latvian Orthodox Church.
An independent Latvia needs a completely self-contained and independent, autocephalous orthodox church. By coming into force these amendments will preclude any power of influence over our orthodox church by the Patriarch of Moscow.
This is a matter of national security. I highly appreciate the readiness of our orthodox church to adopt an autocephalous status. I can attest that the state of Latvia will provide all necessary support and protection to the church as it embarks down this road.
XVIII
Honourable members of parliament,
As the term in office of the 13th convocation of the Saeima nears its end, I can say that over the last four years the state of Latvia has become stronger and more secure.
It is better equipped to meet future challenges.
But we can do even better!
Thank you all and each of you individually for everything you have done!
