The "Progressives" faction in the Saeima sent a letter to President Edgars Rinkēvičs, proposing to develop a memorandum that would stipulate that regardless of the composition of the ruling coalition, budget expenditures on defense next year, and then consistently in 2027 and 2028, would amount to no less than 5% of the gross domestic product.
"Progressives" call for all parliamentary factions to sign such a memorandum.
The letter emphasizes that during the process of adopting the budget for 2026, ideological differences among the coalition parties are becoming more pronounced, and the influence of other political interests is growing.
"Progressives" note that political friction is a normal process in any democratic country; however, the current geopolitical situation - the prolonged military aggression of Russia against Ukraine, hybrid attacks on European countries, and the development of military capabilities - requires guarantees that regardless of the political situation, attention to the defense of the state will be maintained, and a clearly defined portion of the state budget will be allocated for it.
The party points out that Articles 42-44 of the Constitution grant the president significant and decisive powers in the field of defense. In order for the country's defense capability to be at its maximum level in the event of a hypothetical threat, the highest political leadership of the state must already actively participate in strengthening and guaranteeing it.
As noted in the letter, the specified articles of the Constitution give the president the opportunity, relying on their position and public support, to make a valuable contribution to shaping the understanding of what actions must be immediately taken by each member of the Saeima and the executive power to guarantee the security of the state.
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