The world has gone mad - Kalnina-Lukasevica

RIGA - The world has gone mad, said MP Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica (New Unity), Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, during today's Saeima's foreign policy debates.

Kalnina-Lukasevica pointed out that "the world has gone mad," diplomats call it an era of change, but people call it much more bluntly.

In her view, the current international order is losing stability and becoming more of a reference to the past, so like-minded small and medium-sized countries must make a clear decision about their future path. Latvia can only be part of the new international order together with its partners, without losing its values and allies, said the politician.

Kalnina-Lukasevica highlighted security as the main priority - protecting European and Latvian values, strengthening the integrity of elections, limiting Russian aggression, and the importance of the transatlantic alliance. She pointed out that stability is also supported by economic resilience, which can be achieved through European Union cooperation, investment and export growth, as well as closer involvement of the Latvian people in various processes.

Speaking about the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Kalnina-Lukasevica reminded that Latvia has been active in this organization for more than 30 years and has become an influential partner during this time. She emphasized Latvia's active involvement in supporting Ukraine and Moldova's progress towards the European Union, as well as the need to protect the fundamental values of the Council of Europe - democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

Kalnina-Lukasevica pointed out that one of the most significant security threats today is foreign attempts to influence democratic processes, which has become an important issue for the Council of Europe.

In her view, the erosion of democracy begins with a decline in trust in institutions and processes, rather than with the open use of force. She referred to the position of the European Court of Human Rights that countries should not wait until the threat becomes inevitable-democracy must be protected in a timely manner.

This year, free and uninfluenced voter choice is particularly important, given the efforts of foreign powers to influence democratic processes, which have been clearly observed in Moldova, Romania, and Denmark in recent years, said the MP.