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Mr President! Madam Speaker!
Members of the Presidium!
Madam Prime Minister!
Ministerial colleagues, members of Parliament, excellencies, ladies and gentlemen!
Greetings to all as we mark 105 years of Latvia’s international recognition! And with that, I would like to express my gratitude to the foreign service, our President, the Prime Minister, colleagues in the government and Parliament, and the entire public for their cooperation and involvement in Latvia’s international representation over this very eventful year.
I will start on a sad note as we have lost several prominent Latvians in a short period of time. Nora Ikstena, Kārlis Bardelis, Imants Freibergs, Uļjana Semjonova. They will remain in our thoughts and hearts. No, they were not professional diplomats, but each in their own way represented Latvia and helped raise Latvia to greater heights, spreading its name in the world.
“We own as much as we can earn with our own hands, build with our own spirit, invent with our own minds. [..] We are lost if we wait for others to lift us up, acknowledge us, strengthen us, defend us, and admire us.”
These words by Zenta Mauriņa seem to have been written for this particular moment in time. The moment in time when many fear the world is falling apart. But in reality, the world is not falling apart. What is falling apart are unfounded expectations that our democracy, security, and prosperity will be more important to someone else than to ourselves. That the responsibility for Europe’s defence lies solely with the United States. That Russia will supply us with cheap oil and gas. Or, that China’s market and technologies will ensure economic growth.
No, it is the Latvian people who hold responsibility for Latvia. And nothing is more important than our security.
Our task is clear. By investing in defence and defence capabilities at five per cent, we are strengthening our borders and internal security, increasing the presence of our allies, maintaining close transatlantic relations with Canada and the United States, continuing our support for Ukraine, countering Russian aggression, and working together with like-minded and peace-honouring countries around the world.
That is why we work on the UN Security Council: to defend our values and those of like-minded, peace-honouring nations, and the principles of international relations.
We are doing this together with our friends, allies, and like-minded partners around the world.
And it is worth remembering why we are having this debate in January. Yes, this week marks 105 years since Latvia’s international (de jure) recognition. And it did not happen by chance. It was achieved through the dedicated and persistent efforts of the diplomatic service. Through explaining, convincing, informing, lobbying, demanding, requesting, and telling to make it clear that we are our own people, that we have our own country, and that independent Latvia is here to stay. That was what was achieved.
And even today, our foreign policy is built on close cooperation with all of you, as well as with our allies and partners across the globe. Foreign policy is our shield. A shield to protect Latvia’s peace, ensure its growth, and care for our people around the world.
At the same time, we should not lose sight of the bigger picture. Not everything is bad. Good things have also happened in the world over the past year. The situation in the Middle East is more stable than it was a year ago. Hamas, Hezbollah have been weakened. Iran’s nuclear programme has been halted for some time. The people of Venezuela are rejoicing in their freedom from a dictator. In the South Caucasus, a historic reconciliation has been achieved between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Syria, Venezuela, and Iran – Putin’s allies have fallen or been weakened. And yes, the United States and President Trump played a significant role here.
Thank you to all our partners who are taking action, supporting Ukraine, imposing sanctions on Russia, and cooperating internationally to ensure that the principles of international law and order prevail. In the past year, we succeeded in preventing Russia from being elected to ten international organisations. And this year, too, the world has shown that it fully understands Russia’s aggression. This week, Russia tried to get elected. At the UN Conference on Crimes against Humanity Preparatory Committee. The Crimes against Humanity Preparatory Committee. Russia. Of course, it was not elected. It suffered defeat. Victory went to Ukraine and Slovenia.
However, there are still no signs that the Kremlin butcher is ready for peace. Putin’s regime is war – a war economy, war propaganda, war religion, repression, censorship, even an education system that ‘zombifies’ children from an early age.
Last year, the aggressor managed to occupy less than one per cent of Ukraine’s territory, and more than 400,000 occupiers were killed or seriously wounded. Russia has not achieved any of its strategic goals, and while the United States defence strategy describes Russia as a regional threat, we are well aware that no other country today seeks to wipe its neighbour off the face of the earth. Russia’s goals have not changed.
Millions of Ukrainians are spending this winter without heat, electricity, or water. But never without faith and fighting spirit. Ukrainians continue to heroically defend their will to live in a free, independent country, and we understand this better than anyone. Ukrainians stand for the right to decide their own future. Ukraine is, will be, and will remain a living and free democracy.
Unfortunately, when it comes to peace talks, it is possible that the peace achieved in Ukraine, when it comes, may not be fair. At the same time, the leaders of Ukraine, the United States, and European negotiators have made great efforts to secure sustainable peace and security guarantees in Ukraine.
And, of course, with the decision of the Saeima and political unity, we believe we must take part, because the outcome of the war in Ukraine will affect the security of the entire Europe and the world. Therefore, all democracies and like-minded countries around the world must wake up. We must be confident in our values and ready to defend them. Military power and technological superiority will determine our lives in the future. It is our task. All allies in Europe, Canada, and elsewhere must develop their defence and deterrence capabilities as quickly as possible.
It is a shared shield of values and strength.
Ladies and gentlemen, the elections are approaching. How it will be... what the outcome will be, we do not know. But we must be particularly vigilant during election years for all national parties. (Interjection.) We have the duty to protect elections as one of the foundations of a democratic Latvian state. Russia’s behaviour to date indicates that it will escalate non-military attempts to intimidate and divide society. This is indicated in a report published this week by the Constitution Protection Bureau.
We witnessed how Russia attempted to ‘steal’ the elections in Moldova through intimidation, disinformation, cryptocurrencies, and corruption schemes. And the example of Moldova shows that democracy is capable of defending itself against external interference. I have no doubt that Latvia will be able to do the same.
This year, we experienced an attempt to pull Latvia out of the core of Europe. But together we stood our ground. We must not allow ourselves to be divided. Because we in Latvia have much more in common than we have differences. Because we all oppose violence against women and families. And we have only one Latvia.
Honoured members of Parliament!
Last year, the foreign service focused on three main areas, which you can also see in the foreign affairs report:
- Latvia’s security and defence, economic growth and improved welfare;
- public involvement in foreign policy;
- support for our people abroad and the diaspora.
Security is a prerequisite for everything. Without security, there is no prosperity. Without security, there is no development. Without security, children will not be born in Latvia. New investors will not come.
And that is why Latvia acts rather than talks so much. We are among NATO’s leaders because we agreed and acted, investing five per cent of our gross domestic product in defence, thereby implementing our collective decision made at the NATO Summit in The Hague. And these investments will further strengthen deterrence and defence capabilities, develop Latvia’s military industry, and increase the presence of allies in Latvia.
And we have more and more allies here.
Cooperation between the countries of the Baltic Sea region – including the Baltic and Nordic countries, Poland, and Germany – has become increasingly close. We are building a new regional core and working together to counter various threats, including hybrid threats, in the Baltic Sea region.
We are deeply grateful to our 14 allies for their participation in the NATO Multinational Brigade here in Latvia, led by Canada. Thank you to Canada for its leadership and its decision to extend the mandate of the armed forces mission until 2029. Thank you to Albania, Czechia, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, North Macedonia, and Sweden. And Denmark, which rotates with Sweden every six months. We are also grateful to our allies in the United States who stand with us in Latvia and further afield. We are grateful for the joint training and the further strengthening of our military cooperation.
We are also grateful to those NATO countries that patrol our airspace and whose ships are in the Baltic Sea.
The Latvian people deeply value your cooperation with us in defending our common security.
We also expect and will work towards all allies demonstrating significant progress towards the five per cent defence spending target at the NATO Summit in Ankara.
It should also be emphasised that, in our opinion, further strengthening of NATO’s eastern flank deterrence and defence is necessary, with particular priority given to air defence capabilities.
NATO’s presence has also been significantly strengthened in the sea – with the Baltic Sentry mission, and in the airspace – with the Eastern Sentry mission. Since the launch of these missions, there have been no repeat incidents. So, deterrence through physical presence works.
Arctic security has also been added to NATO’s agenda. There is no doubt that allies really need to strengthen their presence, organise training, and invest in surveillance and deterrence capabilities in the Arctic, and this has been on NATO’s agenda since its foundation.
We believe that allies can resolve any differences of opinion, including those between European countries and the United States, through direct dialogue and cooperation.
Transatlantic cooperation is one of the cornerstones of our security.
The political, military, and economic presence of the United States and Canada is essential for the security and stability of Latvia and the entire Europe, and we are grateful to Canada for strengthening its military presence in Latvia ahead of schedule and investing in our infrastructure.
Latvia’s goal is to deepen our military industry and economic cooperation. We have actively collaborated with the United States Administration at all levels and we highly value President Trump’s efforts to achieve a just and sustainable peace in Ukraine.
I would like to express my gratitude to all our parliamentarians who have engaged in an extensive dialogue with partners in the United States, the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and all member states. All of this helps to strengthen the understanding of Latvia and the Baltic states as reliable and determined allies.
The active joint lobby of Latvia and the Baltic states has produced positive results. The United States Congress has included military funding for the Baltic Security Initiative in the National Defence Authorization Act of 2026. This is a practical contribution to the security of the Baltic states and for that we are grateful to our United States allies.
We will continue to deepen our bilateral cooperation with the United States by raising awareness of issues important to us within the United States Administration, the Congress, business community, think tanks, and innovation sector.
We will work together to finalise the negotiations begun last year on expanding the United States military presence in Latvia. Yes, we are ready to welcome more United States forces.
Cooperation within the European Union is just as crucial for Latvia’s security and prosperity.
In the previous year, the European Union experienced the most rapid development in the field of security and defence in its history.
The European Union Member States have taken very important decisions to increase defence funding, both by allowing flexibility in the European Union’s fiscal rules and by offering a new instrument, SAFE. This provides for joint procurement by Member States, support for the defence industry, and the development of defence capabilities, including in cooperation with non-EU countries. The European Commission has approved Latvia’s defence investment plan, which amounts to approximately EUR 3.5 billion and will be dedicated to strengthening Latvia’s defence capabilities.
About the next step. The European Union’s multiannual budget. It will be the first one where security is the first priority, the central priority. This is probably the first time that one of the European Union’s guiding principles is so clearly in line with Latvia’s interests and needs. Russia’s war in Ukraine has had a serious impact, particularly on the security, economic growth, and development of neighbouring countries and the eastern flank of the European Union. This reality must be taken into account in the negotiations on the next European Union’s multiannual budget. The negotiations ahead will be very complex because, unlike the current budget, the next one will not include additional funds from the so-called Recovery Instrument.
In preparing Latvia’s position, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed, through a complex process, to reach agreement between various sectors, some of which had conflicting interests. Further negotiations will be our joint effort and lobbying – involving members of parliament, diplomats, sectoral ministers, industry, non-governmental organisations, and, yes, the public and journalists. Each sector will have to fight for the most favourable conditions for Latvian businesses in the negotiations.
We will work to secure adequate funding for Latvia, both in terms of cohesion and fair direct payments for our farmers. Because currently, although our ‘national envelope’ is larger in monetary terms, its distribution and calculations are, in our opinion, not fair.
We are aware that we are protecting the entire eastern border of the European Union... the entire eastern border of the European Union. Therefore, we constantly call on other Member States to help strengthen the external border and promote the development of border regions.
The share of the European Union budget earmarked for transport connections is planned to be increased, including for European Union military mobility.
The security of the eastern flank, I repeat, is a priority for the European Commission and the entire European Union. That is why this year, together with the Baltic states, Poland, and Finland, we are preparing specific projects.
We must seek out and seize opportunities at all times. And we are pleased that Latvian companies successfully participated in European defence industry programmes and projects last year. And the European Commission has supported nine Latvian projects submitted by our companies. We expect active participation from Latvian companies again this year, and we will support them to the fullest extent possible.
Last year ended with great news for Latvia – the Latvian university start-up association UniLab Defence officially became NATO... DIANA UniLab Defence Acceleration Site in Latvia. And for the first time, a Latvian company also received support under the programme. I expect this to be the first of many.
Over the past year, our embassies abroad organised over 10 events relating to the defence sector. This led to new contracts, contacts, and export opportunities. A striking example is the support provided by our embassy in Germany to the Rheinmetall project, which plans to invest more than EUR 200 million in Latvia.
About enlargement. Of course, the enlargement of the European Union strengthens both the security and welfare of Europe’s neighbours and our own. We know this from our own experience. The European Commission has acknowledged that four countries – Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro, and Albania – have made particular progress over the past year and moved closer to the European Union. This coincides with our vision.
The process is not quick or simple, and for all candidate countries it is based on criteria. We are disappointed that one country is blocking the opening of negotiations with Ukraine. Although the Commission has clearly stated that Ukraine has fulfilled all the preconditions for this to happen, and support for Ukraine is and will remain our priority.
Our diplomats are working tirelessly here in Riga, in Kyiv, and in all our missions around the world to provide maximum support for Ukraine’s fight for freedom. As a result of Latvia’s active involvement, Ukraine will receive the financial support. The European Union Member States are granting Ukraine EUR 90 billion for 2026 and 2027. This is guaranteed by Russia’s frozen assets.
Therefore, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all Latvian residents, companies, and everyone who has helped Ukraine. We heard words of gratitude to Latvia from the President and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, from nurses at the Chernihiv hospital and students at the music school, and from women who have received support at crisis centres.
And we will keep providing this support this year. Our priorities are Ukraine’s self-defence capabilities, restarting military training, and the energy sector. At the same time, cooperation between our defence industries, including drones and others.
We have also made significant progress in holding Russia accountable for its aggression and crimes against the Ukrainian people and state. We have been actively working on this, and specific steps have been taken to establish a special tribunal for bringing those responsible to justice. The International Claims Commission for Ukraine is also being created.
And the containment of Russia was, is, and will continue to be one of Latvia’s security priorities. Four bloody years of war have helped many of our allies in the European Union and NATO, as well as our partners around the world, to understand the aggressor and its imperialist ambitions and lies. The Kremlin butcher has nothing to do with true peace.
Sanctions reduce Russia’s ability to wage war. They must be strengthened to force Russia to make peace. Less money, less technology, less capacity to wage war.
Contrary to what Kremlin disinformers say, sanctions work. This is confirmed by the decline of Russia’s war economy. This is confirmed by the fact that Russia is investing enormous resources in trying to get them lifted or weakened.
And it is very positive that an agreement has been reached at European level to impose sanctions on ‘shadow fleet’ vessels swiftly, independently of the main [sanctions] packages. We called for this in November, and in December this practice began.
And Russia’s frozen assets must be immediately redirected to Ukraine’s self-defence.
The long-standing calls of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to stop trade and divest assets in Russia are bearing fruit. We call on other countries to do the same. Cooperation with the aggressor is both immoral and risky this year, next year, and for years to come.
Sanctions against Russia are and will continue to be strengthened in areas that continue to generate the most revenue for Russia: Russia’s financial sector, including cryptocurrency infrastructure, the military and industrial sector, trade, and others.
We are one of the few European Union Member States to have submitted proposals for every round of European sanctions to date. We also greatly appreciate the work of our members in the European Parliament, where they accelerated decisions on abandoning Russian gas and oil. The European Union has decided on this, and it will be terminated on 1 January next year.
In the context of implementing sanctions, I always remind my colleagues in the European Union that 80 per cent of the cargo at our border does not originate in Latvia. It is cargo from other European Union Member States. However, it is our responsible services that continue to bear the burden of ‘sanctions enforcement’ on their shoulders.
Therefore, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Customs Control, the Financial Intelligence Unit of Latvia, and all other services involved for their excellent work. We are truly a model for other European Union countries in terms of sanctions control. People come to us to learn, and this is acknowledged by David O’Sullivan, the European Union’s Sanctions Envoy, who has visited Latvia three times. We will continue to support other countries so that other European Union countries also introduce effective sanctions controls. This is a national responsibility.
I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to our journalists and the public for their tireless work in helping to uncover and expose attempts to circumvent sanctions. This is useful in our work and in the work of our colleagues.
Sanctions pressure against Russia must continue at both EU and national level, aligning the regimes imposed on Russia and Belarus, as Belarus continues to openly support Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Lukashenko regime carries out hybrid attacks on neighbouring countries. In our view, sanctions should be imposed or strengthened against all those who support Russia’s aggression directly or by helping to circumvent sanctions.
We will continue to categorically oppose any attempts to weaken sanctions, including political pressure, intimidation, slander, and campaigns. I also experienced this last year.
Sanctions are a matter of our security. Latvia has done enough in the area of sanctions, but we can do even more at the national level. We have also confirmed the application of national sanctions regimes to those involved in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. We regularly update the persona non grata list, including through the vigilance of the public and the media, denying entry into Latvia. We have restricted the ability of Russian diplomats to travel within the Schengen area.
Regardless of their occupation, persons who threaten our security are persona non grata in Latvia. Allow me to reiterate: Russian and Belarusian athletes are not welcome in Latvia, and I call on the Saeima to issue a statement supporting our athletes by prohibiting athletes from aggressor countries from entering Latvia. The same applies to artists and others who support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. They have no place in Latvia.
Let’s also take a closer look at the UN Security Council. On 1 January, we began our work on the UN Security Council for the first time in Latvia’s history. This is the most important diplomatic table in the world. This is an opportunity, and we are making the most of it. This is also a matter of security.
During our first days in office, we took the opportunity to convene an emergency meeting of the Security Council. During the first of these, to shed light on Russia’s barbaric crimes in Ukraine. We will continue to do so. When I visited Ukraine in November, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha, said: Latvia’s participation in the UN Security Council is also a victory for Ukraine. The Ukrainians are counting on us. We have also expressed solidarity with both the Iranian and Venezuelan people.
And, of course, there have been significant developments in both of these areas. But I also hope that today we will support the inclusion of Iranian Revolutionary Guards on the European Union’s list of terrorist organisations, as colleagues meet in Brussels today in the format of the Foreign Affairs Council.
When Latvia opposes the use of force to change borders, speaking out against Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, this message is understood and heard by countries on other continents. Because they too have concerns about borders and territorial integrity.
Iran and North Korea directly support Russia in its war of aggression against Ukraine.
China remains Russia’s biggest enabler of war. Without China’s support, Russia would have already lost this war. Such support for aggression is unacceptable to Latvia. We have also communicated this directly to the Chinese side.
Peace and security in Africa affect the spread of terrorism and organised crime, illegal migration, and overall security in Europe. Russia is active across many parts of Africa and exploits African citizens, as well as people from other continents, as media reports from Ukraine show. These people are sent to the front lines on the Russian side to fight Ukrainians, and many are killed in the process. In the Middle East, the Iranian regime has been significantly weakened. This will have an overall positive impact on the security situation in the Middle East and the wider region.
The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria has created opportunities for a more peaceful situation both in Syria itself and in the Middle East, reducing migration pressure on Europe.
The second major pillar of our activities is the economy. We help to promote Latvia’s economic development. The foreign service is a team. A team dedicated to supporting our entrepreneurs. Each of our embassies actively works to support Latvia in attracting additional income. We also set this goal for our new diplomats, providing training, setting specific objectives, and supporting their integration into this work.
The foreign policy report contains many specific examples of how the service will help Latvian entrepreneurs diversify their export markets, and I hope that this will encourage more and more new entrepreneurs to turn to us. Entrepreneurs, you are the backbone of our economy!
In the first nine months of 2025, Latvia’s exports of goods and services grew by 5.6 per cent. Through the joint efforts of our service, LIAA, and our representative offices, we have made a major breakthrough in the 15 largest partner markets. This year, as is now customary, we will organise a business exchange during the Honorary Consuls’ meeting and continue our practical work with business associations on region-specific topics, including visits by entrepreneurs and opening doors to new opportunities.
We are proactively working with the most promising and profitable sectors. For example, in Germany, the embassy has been establishing contacts with German officials, local governments, and forums specifically in the field of information and communication technologies for several years. We can see that this has paid off and is producing real results. Last year, exports of information and communication technology services to Germany grew by 20 per cent.
The foreign service, together with business organisations and major exporters, ensured that our interests were also included in key export sectors, including the timber industry, in negotiations with America. Even if these are minor changes in the overall European Union perspective, they were significant for Latvia, and we succeeded.
Similarly, on our initiative and in close cooperation with the academic and private sectors, we did everything we could to lift the previous United States Administration’s export restrictions on high-performance artificial intelligence chips. In May, the United States lifted the regulations. This allows our entrepreneurs and academics to continue developing on a global scale.
This year, we will continue to support Latvian entrepreneurs in both European and North American countries, deepening cooperation in quantum technologies, drone manufacturing, language and artificial intelligence technologies, and other areas.
I would like to emphasise that, in our opinion, it is important for Latvia to open new embassies. South America, Asia, the Pacific region, the Gulf countries, and Africa are regions that interest our entrepreneurs, where they have interests and where they need support in exports, establishing contacts, and further work, especially in light of the new European Union trade agreements.
EU free trade agreements open up broad trade opportunities for Latvian exporting companies. We fully support the implementation of the European Union and Mercosur Agreement prior to its approval by the European Parliament. This will promote Latvian exports in new markets and the creation of new jobs. The same will apply to the conclusion of the free trade agreement between the European Commission and India, on which political agreement has just been reached.
The negotiations, which began 20 years ago, culminated in a commercially significant and ambitious agreement, creating a free trade area with two billion consumers. The benefits of such agreements are very specific.
A couple of weeks ago, during a regional visit to Valmiera, when visiting the company Valmiera Glass, their first question was when tariffs in the Mercosur region would be abolished. Currently, they are around 30 per cent for industrial products. The same applies to certification barriers. Our fish producers, fish product manufacturers and others who have tried to enter various markets but have been hampered by certification and tariff requirements.
When it comes to attracting investment, we work very closely with the Latvian Investment and Development Agency, the Ministry of Economics, all other necessary institutions, and local governments.
Last year, foreign investors rated Latvia as the most attractive investment environment in the Baltics. A study by Ernst & Young confirms that Latvia, with 33 major investment projects, is the leader in attracting foreign investment in the Baltic states, and this is the result of joint efforts by entrepreneurs and the government. In times of uncertainty, the foreign service has a crucial role in convincing investors that Latvia is a safe and stable environment, that it can supply critical elements of the supply chain to partners, and that investors can prosper here.
It is also important to maintain relations with potential investors so that they continue to be interested in Latvia and invest in the further development of their businesses.
The foreign policy report includes a new section entitled Technology and Innovation. The accelerating pace of technological development means that quantum technologies, artificial intelligence, microchips, 6G, space, and biomedicine are at the centre of geopolitical competition.
And Europe has enormous potential in these areas. However, it lags behind in the speed at which innovations are commercialised. Therefore, we will continue to work closely with both scientists and businesses to find practical solutions that serve our mutual interests. We will also continue to support the international partnerships of the Latvian quantum community. This is an area where competition is particularly fierce. It is therefore important for Latvia to join and establish itself as a top-tier player both within the European Union and NATO.
Last week, Latvia hosted the world’s largest quantum computing conference. It brought together scientists from all over the world who work in this field.
Simplifying regulations is necessary for the competitiveness of both Latvia and Europe as whole. Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis has achieved a great deal in the area of simplification, and this work will continue. I also call on our MEPs to do their utmost to convince their colleagues in the European Parliament to adopt the so-called simplification packages or omnibus bills, which are extremely important for facilitating the work of our entrepreneurs.
When it comes to migration, a topic that has prompted much debate, the government’s position is absolutely clear: no to illegal migration. We have strengthened border protection.
The fence has been completed, and I would like to thank the State Border Guard, the Latvian National Guard, and other services for their dedicated work 24/7, every day and night, preventing more than 12,000 exploited migrants from entering Latvia. We are ready to share our experience and expertise with other European countries within the framework of the EU solidarity mechanism. However, as the Minister of the Interior has already emphasised, Latvia will not accept new migrants and will not pay for them. We will provide support and assistance to other countries.
Speaking of development cooperation, yes, last year we created a new concept and also a new brand, LATDEV. These successfully implemented development cooperation projects, for which we provide seed money, not only help the recipient country, but also increase Latvia’s visibility, opportunities for cooperation with other countries, and promote the export of Latvian services.
Last year, the focus was on Ukraine, where 16 projects were implemented, most of them in support of Ukraine’s European integration, good governance, and the health sector.
For every euro we invest, we are able to attract four euros in foreign funding, and this year the Central Finance and Contracting Agency (CFCA) has become the leading partner and sole implementer of two major international projects abroad.
Looking ahead, we have begun preparations for Latvia’s Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of 2028. This will take place in the last six months of the term of the European Commission and the European Parliament. This means that the legislative cycle will come to an end and we will have to complete a very substantial amount of work on the development of European Union legislation. This will involve intensive work with European Union Member States and the European Parliament.
The Presidency will also coincide with the 110th anniversary of the establishment of the Latvian state. And we must use both of these opportunities to demonstrate Latvia’s values, Latvian identity, development, and achievements. For example, new translations of Latvian authors’ books into English would be a great, great initiative. This was evident with the ‘Latvia 100’ initiative, under which many works by Latvian authors were translated. And, in our opinion, this initiative should be continued.
The third pillar of our work is care for Latvian people around the world.
We provide support to our people in a wide variety of crisis situations. For example, let us recall how we helped 42 Latvian nationals and their family members to leave Israel during last year’s crisis.
We also brought back five Latvian nationals from Belarus. Three of them were political prisoners. And here the United States have a very important role. Thank you for that.
Once again, a reminder to all, all residents of Latvia – do not travel to Russia and Belarus. The risks to your safety and your life are not worth it. The Latvian people who ended up in Belarusian prisons were businesspeople and people who made daily trips to Belarus. Even in their worst nightmares, they never imagined that they could be arrested. Yes, we will do everything we can as diplomats to help, but first and foremost, do not put yourselves at risk, because it may not always be possible.
I would also like to remind you that since October last year, a new Consular Register has been available, which makes it easier for travellers to register their trips abroad. This enables the consular service to provide effective assistance in crisis situations. Please register and tell everyone you know about it.
And speaking of the diaspora, Latvians, of course, take advantage of the extensive mobility opportunities offered by democracy to work, study, and travel. More than a fifth of Latvian nationals live outside the country’s borders, either temporarily or permanently. Of course, it is very important for the foreign service to maintain contacts, support Latvian identity and language. And to make a practical contribution to relations with our nationals abroad.
I would like to note that our diaspora also has impressive economic potential. According to data from a large-scale study conducted by the University of Latvia Centre for Diaspora and Migration Research in 2025, the diaspora brings in around EUR 1 billion to Latvia each year.
But we want our people back. And we are working with our embassies, but also here in Latvia, to help our people maintain contact, return home, and make the most of their talents and knowledge for Latvia.
Social resilience, combating disinformation, and communicating messages important to Latvia in our host countries are areas in which we will be working particularly actively with diaspora organisations this year, including in the context of the upcoming elections.
The foreign policy report also devotes considerable space to public engagement in foreign policy. We are deeply grateful to non-governmental organisations, journalists, and the wider public for their contribution, both internationally, in promoting Latvia’s name globally, and through their active engagement in dialogue with us. And especially to the experts who provide us with valuable advice.
Dear members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen!
Those who excel among us do not wait. They do not make loud announcements; they simply get to work.
The creators of Flow, volunteers of the National Defence Service, beach volleyball players, javelin throwers, quantum scientists, drone manufacturers, choirs, dancers, and Tilde which developed the large language model. They take the initiative and continue working until they have given their very best, guided by their conscience.
We look to them as an example. And we do not expect anyone else to do anything for us. Because the song is not about shirts, the song is about conscience.
Long live Latvia!