Thirty years ago, the wide support of the Swedish people for the freedom and restoration of independence of the Baltic States was invaluable. In the early 1990s, activists in the so-called Monday meetings gave a weekly reminder to the Swedish public and politicians about the independence efforts of the neighbouring countries. The solidarity of the Swedish people is still important to us, emphasised Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, 16 September, while on a visit to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, to take part in the events dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the restoration of the Baltic States' independence and the re-establishment of their diplomatic relations with Sweden.
13. Saeima Speaker's Headlines
Mūrniece at the Conference of Speakers of Parliament: disinformation can be as dangerous as the virus itself (08.09.2021.)
The challenges we must address include not only the virus, but, to a great extent, also the wave of disinformation, as the COVID‑19 pandemic has created a breeding ground for the spread of fake news. It can be as dangerous to human health and safety as the pandemic itself. At the same time, we cannot be blind to the fact that disinformation has become a tool that some countries use to promote their foreign policy goals, emphasised Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, on Wednesday, 8 September, in her address at the Fifth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament in Vienna.
"30 years ago, having our own state was our goal, our dream, and our future. Today, nothing has changed. Our state is the greatest treasure that belongs to every one of us. Everything we do for our state is for the future of our children and our nation. Let us never forget it. Let us do everything to strengthen it, because it is all in our hands," said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, at the opening of the conference "A Dream Fulfilled: Freedom and Independence," dedicated to the 30th anniversary of restoring the independent State of Latvia.
Ināra Mūrniece in Tallinn: in our second century of independence, Latvia and Estonia are close and like-minded friends (20.08.2021.)
In our second century of independence, Latvia and Estonia are close and like-minded friends. We must continue to stay together on our Baltic and European way, underlined Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, in Tallinn on Friday, 20 August, while congratulating Estonia on the 30th anniversary of restoring the country's independence.
Ināra Mūrniece in Lithuania: this is not a migration crisis, but a hybrid attack on the EU and NATO (18.08.2021.)
"The developments on Latvia's and Lithuania's border with Belarus are not a migration crisis; they constitute a hybrid attack on the European Union and NATO," said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, during her visit to the Lithuania‑Belarus border together with the other Baltic Speakers on Wednesday, 18 August.
I am very pleased that we can resume the tradition interrupted by the pandemic – the tripartite meetings between the Speakers of the Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian Parliaments, where we discuss the topical issues on the agenda of the Baltic States and their Parliaments. This allows us to coordinate our opinions and agree on common positions so that the united and strong voice of the Baltics is heard in the international arena. This was emphasised by Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, receiving Jüri Ratas, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Estonia (Riigikogu) and Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania (Seimas).
Speaker Mūrniece to Lithuanian Prime Minister: EU must be prepared to strengthen its external border with Belarus (18.06.2021.)
The European Union (EU) must be prepared to support the strengthening of its external border with Belarus. This is important not only for the security of our region, but also for the EU as a whole, said Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, meeting with Ingrida Šimonytė, Prime Minister of the Republic of Lithuania and discussing the increase of illegal migration on the EU’s eastern border with Belarus.
Speaker Mūrniece in Ukraine honours the memory of the victims of Crimean Tatar deportations (19.05.2021.)
These days when we remember the crimes committed by the Soviet regime against Crimean Tatars. Considering the present circumstances, this is a particularly sad day, since the people native to Crimea have lost their homeland again and are persecuted. The Parliament of Latvia has recognised the deportations of Crimean Tatars as genocide. Like before, Latvia will continue to pursue a policy of non‑recognition of the illegal annexation of Crimea to keep this issue on the current international agenda, stressed Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, in a meeting with Crimean Tatars in capital Kiev during an official visit to Ukraine.
The Ukrainian people have chosen to follow the path of democracy and Euro-Atlantic integration. It is a choice for which you have paid the highest price – in human lives. This choice must be respected, and we are here to confirm that Ukraine can always count on steadfast support from Latvia, emphasised Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, at a meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Razumkov during an official visit to Ukraine.
Speaker of the Saeima: Freedom is like fire that must never be allowed to go out, we must take care of it ceaselessly (04.05.2021.)
Freedom is like a fire that must never be allowed to go out, we must take care of it ceaselessly. On 4 May, we celebrate an occasion like no other. It is the day on which we regained freedom that we had been thirsting for so long. The day on which the dream cherished for decades by several generations of Latvians – to regain our independent state - came true, underlined Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima, on Tuesday, 4 May, during her address at the ceremonial sitting of the Saeima in honour of the 31st anniversary of the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Latvia.