Reduce support for the economy of the aggressor country... 0 9

Today, the parliament considered the initiative of deputies from two opposition factions - the National Alliance and the United List - to publish a list of Latvian firms that engage in import and/or export transactions with the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus.

"This decision, as well as the publication of information, is important not only for us all to be aware of it, but it is also important to encourage both entrepreneurs and residents to make their choices, so that all entrepreneurs who continue to cooperate with Russia and Belarus feel that not all of Latvia supports this choice. And certainly, this is more than just a list in the online environment.

The publication of this list is also justified by the principle of national security, as economic relations with aggressor countries cannot be regarded solely as an individual, private-law, or commercial choice. Trade ties with Russia and Belarus pose a threat to regional security and, of course, to international law and affect broader public interests.

Therefore, this would be one of the tools to strengthen economic security, reduce indirect support for the economy of the aggressor country, and, of course, promote responsible business practices. Because I remember very well March 2022, when many enterprises from Latvia refused to continue cooperation with Russia... they ceased it, liquidated their branches, terminated contracts, and did so responsibly — the sooner, the better. At the same time, even today, there are companies that have not ceased this cooperation; some may even, we do not know, perhaps started or expanded it," attempted to justify the need for the corresponding decision the head of the parliamentary faction of the National Alliance, Ilze Indriksonne.

It should be noted that representatives of the ruling coalition had previously expressed support for the publication of such a list. And "New Unity" has set itself the goal of achieving a complete cessation of cooperation between Latvian businesses and the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus by the end of the year. However, today the ruling party did not want to support the initiative of its competitors, and it was rejected by a majority vote.