In his address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Jan. 13, President Valdis Zatlers said that the biggest mistakes his country had made over the five years since its accession to the European Union were the failure to absorb the EU funds in full and insufficient activities towards the euro adoption. Zatlers said that Latvia's benefits from the EU membership include the strengthening of democracy and the development of democratic institutions, improved investment environment and opportunities to enjoy free movement of persons, goods and services. Latvia's failure to demonstrate sufficient determination to adopt the euro is the biggest mistake, he said. Nevertheless, benefits from the EU membership outweigh drawbacks and even eurosceptics can't help recognizing this, the president said.
Transparency International Latvia has released a statement attacking the government over its proposal to merge the country's anti-corruption bureau with other law enforcement bodies. The organization said that the "public administration reorganization plan will destroy KNAB's capacity to prevent and combat corruption. The planned subordination of KNAB to the Ministry of Interior will destroy KNAB's independence." The press released said that the government is currently considering a number of different options that would see the anti-corruption bureau combined with other law enforcement bodies in an effort to cut back on public spending.
The Society for Different Politics party, headed by former Regional Affairs Minister Aigars Stokenbergs and former Foreign Minister Artis Pabriks, has announced that it would like to form a cooperation pact with opposition parties New Era and the Civic Union to help pull the country out of the economic crisis. In a statement issued on Jan. 13, Stokenbergs said that politicians must be willing to rise above party lines and join forces to help combat the crisis. Society for Different Politics is inviting New Era and Civic Union to talks next week, and wants the two to support a request for President Zatlers to dissolve Parliament.
