The entire package of bills related to the "reform" has been removed from the agenda of the plenary session of the Saeima.
Today marks the first plenary session of parliament after the change of government and ruling coalition. The first decision made by the coalition deputies was to... remove from the agenda, at least for a week, until the next plenary session, the package of bills approved by the now-dismissed Silin government. This concerns a dubious reform aimed at taking away from the Consumer Rights Protection Center the function of oversight over non-bank creditors and transferring this function to the Bank of Latvia. This unnecessary reform has been opposed by the Ministry of Economics, the Consumer Rights Protection Center itself, social partners of the government, and the non-bank lending sector. And now, as explained today at the plenary session by the deputy from the ruling United Forces, Juris Vilūms, the parliamentarians want to familiarize themselves with the proposed changes before voting to send the package of bills to the budget committee.
The leader of the "Progressives," Andris Shuvaevs, categorically opposed this, stating that the budget committee has already discussed this issue preliminarily several times, and if this continues to be delayed, they may not have time to consider this package of bills before the summer recess.
He was opposed by a representative of another opposition faction - "Latvia First," Kristaps Kristopans: "Both the Consumer Rights Protection Center and the industry itself oppose this reform. These bills were approved by the Silin government at its last meeting - as if clearing the table before leaving!"
The removal of the bills from the agenda was supported by the overwhelming majority of deputies.
