Honourable Chairwoman,
esteemed members of the 15th Saeima,
ladies and gentlemen,
Soon you, the newly-elected members of the 15th Saeima, will give a solemn oath to the people of Latvia and pledge your loyalty to Latvia as you assume the new duties.
I suppose all of you – those who have stepped over the threshold of this house as elected representatives for the first time, and those who are already quite experienced at this job – feel the uplifting spirit of the moment. You are here to fulfil your individual election promises. And all of you together are a representation of our society – diverse and often contradicting. Many of you have made similar promises, and then there are promises that are mutually exclusive. It means cooperation is due where results and decisiveness are needed, and you will have to thoroughly explain your judgements to the public. Not an easy task.
Dear Latvian people,
I want to thank all Latvian citizen who took part in general elections and supported candidates whom they wanted to take charge of Latvia in the next four years. And now it is crucial for us to remind ourselves why so many opted out. I doubt we will ever see a democratic country where levels of electoral participation reach ninety or hundred percent. What is more important is that we have the broadest possible political participation in local, general and European elections as possible.
We need to convince voters that every vote counts. Within the mandate given to you, you must now deliver on your promises and make democracy stronger. Promote civic participation, day in and day out. So that those who chose sidelines show up for the next elections, because indifference and reluctance gives way to risks for public security and prosperity. Something we cannot afford.
Candidates made big promises to their voters during their election campaigns. Many of you travelled around Latvia’s regions and towns. You made countless social media posts. Please, do not forget about these promises as you toil away on your tasks. And do explain your decisions and political process, and why some decisions are or are not made over the others. There are those in our society who trust the state when they feel they are heard on daily basis, instead of abandoned.
Ladies and gentlemen,
15th Saeima has the mission to make the next chapter more beautiful for Latvia. Your mission is to make sure the reality is as beautiful as our proudest stories are.
Our people want to see modern, democratic, safe, fair and prosperous Latvia. A state where everyone is valued. Latvia where government and people trust each other.
We already know that the 15th Saeima will be special. Never before, since the inception of the Constitutional Assembly, has one political group had so many seats in the parliament. It only shows how important change is to voters. And broad support allows to do many great things for the national security, well-being and demographics. Every change, every improvement comes with popular as well as, unfortunately, some unpopular choices. We all know that those are difficult choices. However, as you take on those tasks, please do not forget that even bold decisions need to be carefully weighed. There must be a clear rationale and reason plain to see.
Dear members of the Saeima,
You are taking the parliament over at a time when situation outside our national borders is very tumultuous. Russian aggression against Ukraine and war in the Middle East contribute to high tensions politically and militarily all the time, adding to the rising energy costs and overall economic decline.
We expect a particularly tough autumn and winter this year. Something Latvia, Europe and the rest of the world has been preparing. Despite such rather challenging circumstances, I believe our national priorities for the coming years are clear: internal and external security, economy and demographics.
First, let’s talk about security. The National Defence Funding Law clearly states that Latvia will spend at least five percent of its projected gross domestic product on defence starting from next year, in medium term. It is a fundamental necessity. Not a whim. Current threats to Euro-Atlantic security that stem from Russia are real. Russia continues to scale and ramp up its destructive activities across Europe. Ukraine is in its fifth year of fighting the Russian aggression. We, of course, fully support all attempts to find a diplomatic resolution. We all definitely want to see Europe living in peace. But we also know all too well how difficult it is.
As a country, we must be ready for all scenarios that might come into play today, tomorrow or at any other time. We must invest in the capabilities of our National Armed Forces. We must be capable of providing host nation support to allied forces here. We must fulfil our national commitments to NATO. We must continue to support Ukraine. These are the steps that should not wane with political statements or remain in future tense.
And we have our allies. We are a part of NATO and the European Union. We can also see that our allies are increasingly more often having differences on how to solve particular challenges. It is therefore vital to focus on stronger, more meaningful regional cooperation. And we must start with our closest allies – Baltic, Nordic countries, Poland and Germany. There can never be too many friends. We highly appreciate every ally who is in Latvia and in the eastern flank. Their troops, border patrol officers, military and civilian capabilities are present too. We appreciate those who support and secure stronger deterrence and defence posture. We appreciate those who strengthen the European Union, NATO and our external borders.
Our close ally, Canada, plays a special role as the framework country of the NATO Multinational Brigade Latvia. So does Latvia, Denmark and Canada as framework countries of the NATO Multinational Division North.
Our close ally, the United States of America, provides strategic military presence that Latvia is grateful for. US troops, on the other hand, appreciate the growing opportunities to train in Latvia. Yet at the same time we are all too aware of the fact that it is us who have to strengthen the national, regional and European defence. The role and engagement of the US may change but it will remain strong.
External and internal security go hand in hand. Cooperation between defence and home sectors is key for stronger public confidence and trust. However, government will never be able to give all answers, or solve all problems. Each of us has a part to play and we are responsible for ensuring that our families and society grow more vigilant, aware and resilient.
Ladies and gentlemen,
I believe both you and I, and the society at large, want to see Latvia make a big step towards European Union average prosperity in the next four years. Economic growth is increasingly becoming our own responsibility.
The next European Union multiannual financial framework will not cover all of our needs. Therefore, we must do our best to multiply our wealth – a responsibility that will be at the top of our agenda. The available European Union funding must be spent on stronger security, better defence and protection of the external border, higher economic growth of Latvia. And eastern border areas are pivotal to this.
Our information technology, defence, biomedical and creative industries are globally competitive. Our country needs to support further growth of these high added value industries. And that needs lean and mean government.
I believe all of us have heard from business owners and operators in this country that what they need most is a government that enables and puts no hurdles. I mean, this is nothing new. The need to reform government is beyond doubt. We must audit the procedures, raise capacity, shorten permitting and inspection times. We must get rid of many redundancies. And we all know what that means. We’ve heard it being promised in many different ways before. The time has come to walk the walk. And, in this respect, I hope that you have understood that people have great expectations for you and the next government in particular.
Dear parliamentarians,
Security, economy and demographics are not mutually exclusive goals. On the contrary, they are closely linked with one another.
Demographics are linked to education and healthcare policies. Sectors where decisions can be actually felt only years later.
We have unfortunately gotten used to children disappearing from our life. Unfortunately, we see the literacy weaken, as well. We’ve seen some young people loosing future opportunities due to maths even before they’ve made their choices about the future. And when it comes to politics, getting used to something is not always for the best. The ability to shift and adapt policies to reality and influence the reality – that’s what is for the best.
This requires consistent work over a number of years. Children who are failing at reading or maths must be supported and help must come early. Schools that face extended hardship must receive targeted support. National and local governments must strengthen their ownership over reforms that are for the better. The chance of talented kids to reach excellence shouldn’t depend only on their domicile or wealth of their parents. Teachers need time to just teach instead of constantly adjusting to changes that keep coming.
Population decline, too, can be attributed to all sorts of reasons. And the number of solutions required is equally high. It isn’t just about money. State does not make children. People do. And state must help by providing affordable housing, kindergartens and good healthcare. Jobs where families matter. Help when it is needed. And also, the reassurance that support will be stable, not based on isolated campaigns. Without healthy nation, there will be no safe and developed state.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Security, economy and demographics are crucial. Democracy and human rights are equally crucial. We all want the fundamental principles enshrined in our Constitution remain strong. Our founding fathers more than a century ago made a clear choice – Latvia will be an independent, democratic republic. And to ensure that, we need efficient judiciary, actual progress in curbing corruption and violence, freedom of speech. These are the principles that should guide your votes on legislative initiatives as well as your decisions.
Honourable members of the Saeima,
I congratulate you and would like to confirm that I will always be available for close, fruitful and good-natured cooperation for the benefit of our country.
You start this work filled with hope and determination. You are driven by people’s hopes and expectations. You are starting your work in difficult conditions. And yet I’m certain that you will do your best. There will be mistakes, bumps along the way. Glory. And times when it will seem that all hope is lost. There will be joy about victories, big and small. So, at moments like these – both uplifting and less cheerful – you should revisit what you felt today as you gave the solemn oath and promised to “fulfil your duties conscientiously and to the best of your abilities”. I am confident that these words and peoples trust in you will give you the necessary strength. I sincerely wish you to make sure that four years from now, when you are about to lay down your mandate at the end of the 15th Saeima, you and your voters can say, “They really did it!”
Thank you for attention!
