The last plenary session was 'spent' by the deputies on debates about foreign policy – let us remind you, they lasted more than 10 hours! The deputies did not reach the consideration of the other agenda items.
Therefore, at the upcoming meeting, the servants of the people will once again have to... stay at work until the evening to discuss two agendas: the previous and the current one. And there will be much to discuss!
Firstly, lengthy debates are expected on the draft statement of the Saeima prepared by the opposition faction. The deputies propose that the Saeima... warmly support the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump!
Theoretically, the statement can be supported in the zero reading, meaning it will be referred to the Saeima committee. The 'Green Farmers' have already announced that they intend to support the adoption of this statement, which is logical, as the Speaker of the Saeima, Daiga Mierina from the Union of Greens and Farmers, has already signed a letter to the Nobel Committee regarding the award for the head of the White House.
It is noteworthy that the newly appointed U.S. ambassador to Latvia, who is an active supporter of Trump, will surely be monitoring the voting results on this statement. Which of the Latvian parliamentarians will oppose the President of the United States?!
Even longer discussions are expected at the upcoming plenary session regarding the second initiative of the opposition – expressing no confidence in Evika Silina ('New Unity'). This time, the opposition wants to remove the Prime Minister and thus the entire government due to the complete chaos in the implementation of Rail Baltica and the 'brilliant' economic indicators of Latvia. However, it is clear to everyone that Silina will remain in her position.
It is expected that the Saeima majority will adopt amendments to the Education Law in the final reading, including those concerning language regulation. Specifically, the amendment from the parliamentary committee states that educators, while performing their official duties, must communicate exclusively in the state language both among themselves and with students. Another amendment – already from the Ministry of Education – places the responsibility for compliance with this requirement on the administration of educational institutions.
The parliament is also expected to adopt in the final reading an amendment that obliges state and municipal institutions to respond to 'workers' letters' not within 30 days, as has been the case so far, but within 10 days. If a question in the letter (application) is not within the recipient's competence, then that institution informs the applicant about which institution their application (message) has been sent to.
The deputies will send back to the committee the amendments returned by Rinkevics, which limit the ability of students in grades 1-6 to study remotely. It is obvious that now the parliamentarians will have to revise the bill – in accordance with the president's recommendations. It is clear that as the elections approach, the quality of the laws passed by the excited deputies will decrease, and the head of state will increasingly have to return such defective documents to the Saeima.
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