Despite loud promises to reduce bureaucracy and administrative burden, a serious breakthrough has not yet occurred in Latvia. Experts acknowledge some improvements but warn that the fate of reforms now depends on the next government.
The fight against bloated bureaucracy, which the government of Evika Siliņa called one of its priorities, is currently yielding only limited results.
Although a special group for reducing bureaucracy was established a year ago by the Prime Minister's order, experts acknowledge that radical changes in the functioning of the state and a reduction in administrative burden have not yet occurred.
Since the end of last year, the group has been headed by Jānis Endziņš. Its task is to reduce the administrative burden on businesses and society by at least one billion euros over three years.
However, Endziņš himself admits that the future of the initiative remains uncertain. According to him, the group exists solely on the basis of the Prime Minister's order and could theoretically be dissolved at any moment—especially after a change of government or a new composition of the Saeima.
"In a sense, I work every day as if it were my last," Endziņš admitted in an interview with Latvijas Avīze.
Experts interviewed by the publication note that there has been some progress in certain areas. For example, in construction, some excessive requirements and procedures have been reduced. But deeper reforms have been postponed and will likely depend on the political will of future governments.
Importantly, entrepreneurs have long identified bureaucracy as one of the main reasons hindering the development of Latvia's economy. This is regularly highlighted in both national and European business surveys.
The rector of the Turība Business School, Zane Drīke, stated that the administrative burden directly affects not only the development of companies but also the overall well-being of the country's residents.
In a 2024 study, experts characterized the situation in Latvia as excessively complex and overloaded with internal requirements of public administration. The practice of conducting impact assessments of new laws was criticized separately, as it is often done formally and does not lead to a real reduction in burden.
On the international stage, Latvia's positions also remain relatively weak. According to several international rankings of the business environment, the country is below average.
The discussion about reducing bureaucracy has become one of the most popular topics in Latvian politics in recent years; however, businesses are still waiting not for individual improvements but for systemic changes.
