Weekly review
Poll
Concern about gaps in the skills and knowledge of our pupils is voiced quite widely from time to time. Unfortunately, only when someone from outside Latvia has concluded as much. Why is that?
There is a political tendency to be busy, to invest, to make promises, but not to think about the results
If you have little knowledge yourself, you do not even know how or what you do not know...
A smart society is not always desirable or welcome
Many interests swirl around education. A "good result" is rarely mentioned among them
29 March – 5 April
Worth knowing! Upcoming events
The “Ziedu ceļos” campaign runs from 1 February to 30 October
Until 8 April, a survey prepared by the European Commission on reducing the administrative burden on farmers
Until 15 April, applications are open for the annual environmental protection award – Green Excellence 2024
On 18–19 April 2024, the 66th international scientific conference of Daugavpils University
On 20 April, the 6th Vimba Festival in Bauska
The 20th Latvian Plant Parade on 4 and 5 May in Sigulda
Until 12 May, candidates can be nominated for the “EU Organic Awards” competition announced by the European Commission for organic producers who have developed outstanding, innovative, sustainable and inspiring projects that create real added value for organic production and consumption.
Latvian Forest Days – 24 and 25 May
On official matters
At the same time, Armands Krauze believes that the Constitutional Court ruling expected on Monday, 8 April, will be unique, although as an agronomist he does not understand what connection the diameter of a tree has with a clean environment. “In my view, a court case would be more appropriate over a factory that emits black fumes and pollutes the air.”
The State Forest Service reports that, as of 1 April, restrictions on economic activity have come into force in spruce stand protection zones A, B and C, in order to limit the spread of the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle in forests. The restrictions apply for the period from 1 April 2024 to 31 August 2024.
“Development of the studies set out in the Prioritised Action Framework for Biodiversity” (the Programme) will promote evidence-based decision-making in achieving nature protection objectives, and will also generate new knowledge and practically applicable solutions for ensuring a favourable conservation status for species and habitats.
On 2 April 2024, the Cabinet of Ministers approved Andris Ķēniņš as Director General of the State Environmental Service.
The LatViaNature project implemented by the Nature Conservation Agency has submitted an application for the prestigious European Commission Natura 2000 Award for the pilot programmes “Dzīvais mežs” and “Ziedu pļavas”, for the sustainable forest management demonstration areas run by LLKC and the World Wide Fund for Nature, and for the educational volunteer events run by the Agency and the World Wide Fund for Nature. Out of 96 applications, 27 finalists have been shortlisted, including the LatViaNature project's application. Five finalists will be announced on 29 May.
On industry matters
On 5 April, the official opening of the seedling sorting and processing complex at the Mežvidi nursery of a/s “Latvijas valsts meži” took place in Jaunkalsnava parish.
The first to start work, still at the tail end of winter, were the LVM nurseries with seasonally heated greenhouses: Mazsili, Strenči, Podiņi and Mežvidi. Work is currently in full swing at all ten LVM nurseries, and by the end of March 13.5 million sowing places for containerised pine seedlings and 7.5 million for spruce seedlings with an improved root system had already been sown for growing new planting stock, out of a total of 92.4 million planned for this year.
On 4 April 2024, SIA “Rīgas meži” signed a contract with SIA “Stiga RM” on the sale of the “Norupe” sawmill. The sale process was carried out in line with good governance principles, in accordance with the decisions of the supervisory board and shareholders' meeting of SIA “Rīgas meži” and of the local authority, and in line with the instructions of the State Audit Office and the Competition Council on preventing distortion of the market and of competition.
An essential part of climate policy is climate neutrality, which sounds clever but is in fact very simple to explain – every country bound by the Green Deal is responsible for ensuring that the difference between greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and removals is close to zero. There are many routes to this goal, which can be simplified into two approaches and the interaction between them – reducing GHG emissions and increasing carbon sequestration.
AS “Latvijas valsts meži” (LVM) plans to invest 82.8 million euros in several innovation projects this year, the chair of the LVM supervisory board, Zane Driņķe, said in an interview.
There is wide discussion nowadays of various tools that can help to overcome challenges related to climate change, for example reducing the volume of carbon dioxide emissions. The use of both technological and nature-based solutions is emphasised, but the most important thing is a strategic approach and taking stock of existing opportunities and resources, while at the same time making a positive contribution to both the environment and people.
“Rīgas meži” has successfully moved its red deer herd from its property in Tīnūži parish, on the edge of Ogre, to a deer park in Vidzeme. Observing animal welfare and safety requirements, 45 red deer were transported to Vidzeme. The company has informed the Agricultural Data Centre about the movement of the animals and about the winding up of the herd and the holding.
Vilnis Kantiševs from Lejasciems has received financial support after entering the Gulbene municipality grant competition “Uzņēmīgi Gulbenes novadā”, allowing him to buy a modern firewood processing machine.
In many private houses in the municipality, firewood is still the main source of heat energy. It is a renewable resource and, although it is inconvenient to use, at present it is also the cheapest. Many homeowners buy it in three-metre lengths so that they can later “turn” it into logs of the required length themselves. The new service is aimed at those who lack the ability, the will or the time to do this work.
On the young forest scientists' award
The Young Forest Scientists' Award has been created to encourage the development of scientific thinking rooted in the Latvian forest sector and forestry, to improve Latvian society's knowledge of forestry, and to strengthen the motivation of young forest scientists.
On quality and development
A year ago, “Nekā personīga” found that largely the same people are appointed to the supervisory boards of state and municipal capital companies. Often they are also senior ministry officials and heads of other institutions. The State Audit Office pointed this out in its audit as well. It questioned whether officials manage to work to an equally high standard in several jobs at once. The State Audit Office took the view that this is a way of topping up officials' pay at their main place of work, and recommended abandoning such a distorted practice. Yet over the past year not much has changed.
We are implementing a project co-financed by European Union funds, and it has to be said that we are not the only local authority that KNAB has visited. There is a great deal of confusion here overall, because the state set up a programme for business development. Local authorities have made use of this programme, and the supervisory institutions, for example the Central Finance and Contracting Agency, have approved all of this work.
On the closed bridge
Because of possible danger, on the night of Friday, 5 April, vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be closed on the viaduct over the railway on Altonavas iela in Torņakalns, on the stretch from Tēriņu iela to O. Vācieša iela. Public transport will be diverted along a different route. A decision on the future operation of the bridge will be taken once an in-depth expert assessment has been carried out.
On comparisons
In Latvia, meanwhile, the difference between GDP per capita in Mārupe municipality and in Augšdaugava municipality was 5.4 times.
On history
The East Slavs, on the other hand, as an autochthonous, local group, have in fact never lived in Latvia, leaving aside Slavic raiders and traders. “If anything of the sort had been discovered, such a fact would surely have been raised to the level of a cult in the Soviet era. But there is nothing of the kind. Quite the opposite – Baltic communities once lived in the territories of both present-day Russia and Belarus,” the historian adds.
Current affairs in cartoons
 |
 |
 |
 |