Under new legislation adopted by the Saeima on Thursday, 27 March, police will be authorised to land or neutralise drones not only in the event of an actual attack, but also to prevent potential threats. Until now, such action was only permitted during an ongoing drone assault.

To make it easier and more reliable for consumers to compare electricity prices offered by different electricity traders, a framework will be introduced for a price comparison tool. This is provided for in the amendments to the Electricity Market Law, adopted by the Saeima in the third and final reading on Thursday, 27 March.

On Wednesday, 26 March, receiving Salome Zourabichvili, the fifth president of Georgia, at the Latvian parliament, Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, affirmed Latvia’s support for the fight of the Georgian people, opposition, civil society, and independent media for democracy and justice in their country.

“There is a need for all European countries to rapidly strengthen their defence capabilities. Security and defence are the backbone of democracy, as they ensure stability, protect fundamental freedoms, and foster the well-being of our people,” highlighted Jānis Vucāns, President of the Baltic Assembly and Head of its Latvian delegation, addressing the audience at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament, which also included the heads of interparliamentary organisations, on 20 March in Strasbourg, France.

Russia’s aggression extends far beyond Ukraine’s borders. It is spreading deeper in Europe, and we face it every day. It includes cyber attacks, disinformation, interference in elections, and sabotage of critical infrastructure. Europe must recognise these threats and develop regional solutions to prevent such incidents and to ensure our people feel safe. This was emphasised by Daiga Mieriņa, Speaker of the Saeima, addressing her colleagues at the European Conference of Presidents of Parliament on 20 March in the French city of Strasbourg.

“The story about how Lithuania and all the Baltic States regained their independance is a story about a dream of freedom that became reality—how people with bare hands and warm hearts stood against the tanks and machine guns. It inspires our Ukrainian friends to know that good ultimately defeats evil,” said Daiga Mieriņa, the Speaker of the Saeima, in Vilnius on Tuesday, 11 March, celebrating the 35th anniversary of the restoration of independence of our neighbouring country Lithuania.

“It is crucial to talk about peace conditions that are acceptable to Ukraine alone. We are talking about an agreement that is acceptable to the Ukrainian people in all respects – from territorial integrity to security guarantees,” said Daiga Mieriņa, the Speaker of the Saeima, during a meeting with the Speakers of the Parliaments of Estonia, Iceland, Lithuania, Poland, Finland, and Ukraine in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania, on Monday, 10 March.

To strengthen the country’s competitiveness and harness the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, Latvia will establish an Artificial Intelligence Centre responsible for AI development. This is stipulated in the Artificial Intelligence Centre Law, which was adopted in its final reading by the Saeima on Thursday, 6 March.

Financial support provided by employers to employees for purchasing medication in cases of severe illness will be exempt from income tax. The Saeima adopted this decision on Thursday, 6 March, in the final reading of amendments to the Personal Income Tax Law.

In an effort to enhance the efficient development and utilisation of electricity system capacity, a flexible connection service will soon be introduced. This initiative is outlined in the amendments to the Electricity Market Law, which were approved in their third and final reading by the Saeima on Thursday, 6 March.