Top 7 events that influenced (will influence) life in Latvia

1. Latvians are blessed

Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for the seventh year in a row. Latvia took 46th place in this ranking. This is stated in the annual UN study “World Happiness Report”.

The top ten happiest countries also included other Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. Compared to the 2012 ranking, the largest drops in the happiness index occurred in Afghanistan, Lebanon and Jordan, and the largest increases in Serbia, Bulgaria and Latvia. Our country has risen by 44 positions during this time!

2. Flew



Krisjanis Karins.

The General Prosecutor’s Office has launched and transferred to the Bureau for the Prevention and Combating of Corruption for investigation a criminal proceeding regarding possible misappropriation of funds in connection with the use of special flights for business trips by former Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins.

According to the State Chancellery, from September 2021 to September 2023, 613,830 euros were spent from the state budget on Kariņš flights, and together with part of the costs covered by the EU – 1.36 million euros.

3. Military men don’t waste words



Due to the sharp rise in electricity prices, more and more new wind turbine parks are being actively built and planned in Latvia. However, the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Latvia has its own thoughts on this matter. It is ready to ban the implementation of such projects in many parts of the country due to the fact that wind turbines interfere with the operation of radars. In Latgale, for example, completely.

Without any restrictions, wind turbines can only be installed in the middle part of Vidzeme, Zemgale and the central part of Kurzeme.

4. They want to complete the South Bridge

The Riga municipality has begun evaluating applications for the construction of the fourth stage of the South Bridge. If everything goes according to plan, an important highway for traffic flows will appear in the Latvian capital. It will connect the bridge with the A8 highway (Vienibas gatve).

However, due to a lack of funds, Riga will have to abandon the Dzelzavas Street metrobus project, which was planned to begin this year. The capital’s budget will not support these two construction projects at the same time.

5. Burglars have become a rarity



According to the State Police, 731 thefts from houses and apartments were registered last year, which is 104 less than in 2022. For comparison: in 2017, there were 2,603 ​​home thefts. Thus, in 2023 the lowest number of domestic thefts was registered since the restoration of Latvian independence.

Most of the items stolen were household appliances, computer equipment, mobile phones, gold jewelry, cash and power tools. They steal things that can be quickly sold.

6. E-prescription will work abroad

In order for residents of the Republic of Latvia to have the opportunity to purchase medications using an e-prescription in other Member States of the European Union while staying abroad, Latvia has begun cross-border exchange of e-prescription data with some Member States.

Until now, medicines prescribed in Latvia could only be purchased abroad if the prescription was written on a paper form. Now medicines using electronic prescriptions can already be purchased in Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Portugal and Spain, and the number of these countries will gradually increase.

7. Trucks are sent on a detour



After the completion of the construction of the Eastern Highway in Riga, the movement of freight traffic through the Stone Bridge and adjacent streets was prohibited. Now trucks are also being driven from some streets in Pardaugava.

As the city authorities announced, the transit movement of freight transport through Tornakalns in both directions is completely prohibited on the section of Vienibas gatve from Karl Ulmanja gatve to Jelgavas Street (academic center of the University of Latvia), on the section of Jelgavas street from Vienibas gatve to Akmenu street and on the section of Akmenu street to National Library of Latvia (Valguma streets).