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
3–9 February
Worth knowing! Upcoming important events
Voting for European Tree of the Year from 1 to 22 February
AS “Latvijas valsts meži” has announced an open tender for “Management of protected species habitats and biotopes”. Applicants can submit their proposals in the tender until 14 February at 10:00 via the electronic procurement system.
On 15 February, an online training seminar organised by the Latvian State Forest Research Institute “Silava” titled “Bear monitoring in 2023–2025”
“Ziedu ceļos” campaign from 1 February to 30 October
On 23 March, the Faculty of Economics and Social Development at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies invites graduates of economics, management, and social sciences to meet in Jelgava and celebrate the faculty’s 55th anniversary.
18–19 April 2024: Daugavpils University’s 66th International Scientific Conference
Latvian Forest Days – 24 and 25 May
Official matters
The Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) has submitted a draft informative report for public consultation on the Public Portal for Draft Legal Acts, titled “On the results of the inventory of the distribution and quality of protected biotopes and further action to balance the ensuring of a favourable conservation status for protected biotopes with the development interests of economic sectors”. VARAM invites proposals to be submitted from 9 to 23 February.
The European Commission’s statement on 2040 targets provides a basis for Latvia to initiate discussions. The first large-scale discussion on 2040 climate targets at the EU level will take place at the Environment Council on 25 March this year. Fulfilling the task is not an end in itself.
Flood prevention measures are planned for a total of 21 national land reclamation system objects – eight pumping stations, 12 flood protection dykes, and one canal. All planned restoration and reconstruction work on national flood prevention sites must be completed by the end of June 2026.
Industry affairs
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved regulations drafted by the Ministry of Agriculture regarding the uniforms and insignia of State Forest Service (VMD) officials, so that VMD staff are recognisable in the performance of their duties and can be clearly distinguished from employees of other state supervisory authorities.
Calculations by Bank of Latvia experts show that fuel wood, logs, and sawn timber currently account for more than half (53%) of all timber product exports. Estonia has the second highest share (28%), but this is nearly half that of Latvia. Today, there is little to be proud of in exporting low-complexity timber products from the country. Moreover, the forest sector is currently going through a complex and uncertain time, largely influenced by serious challenges in global timber markets. In such conditions, the question of how to escape the raw material export trap and use the resources available in Latvia as smartly and efficiently as possible becomes particularly urgent.
Environmental issues. Official
A crude oil leak occurred at the Būtingė oil terminal in the Baltic Sea, owned by the oil refinery “Orlen Lietuva”, on Wednesday, 7 February, around 8:00; approximately 1,400–1,800 litres of oil leaked into the sea.
On 6 February, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft regulation developed by the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development on providing support to public service providers in central heating to reduce the negative impact of air pollution by improving the operation of used combustion equipment and introducing technical solutions that reduce dust (particulate) emissions into the air.
This wind farm is huge and ambitious in its scale. It is something that our society will notice from all sides – it will be visible from everywhere: Pāvilosta, Grobiņa, Liepāja, Aizpute. The wind turbines are planned to be 252 metres high, the tallest in the world this time.
Farmers' protests
There will not be any farmers' protests in Riga this Monday, 12 February, but the coming weeks will be decisive in deciding on the farmers' next steps, said Juris Lazdiņš, Chairman of the Board of the Zemnieku saeima association.
A total of about 2,000 pieces of machinery were involved in the farmers' protest action held on Monday in 16 Latvian cities.
Young farmers are also dissatisfied with the situation – although they are enterprising and have a more positive outlook, everyday life can break their dreams. That is exactly why the Latvijas Jaunie zemnieki association is considering participating in a protest action next Monday, if one takes place.
By showing their stance, farmers are resolving issues that had been at a standstill for two years.
Interesting facts in nature
The third armoured train was built in October 1919 in the Zīlāni station depot workshop. The train consisted of an armoured locomotive and three wagons covered with anti-bullet armour, and it was equipped with a 77 mm cannon, a 105 mm howitzer, and six or seven machine guns. The train played a significant role in the liberation of Rēzekne as it fought against two Red Army armoured trains. During the Bermontian campaign, it took part in an attack on the Olaine defensive line.
Next year will mark 75 years since plants were introduced into Latvia for testing purposes, which we long knew by the name chokeberries. Until the early 1980s, they were also known by the scientific name of the North American species Aronia melanocarpa. Later in the 1980s, in Latvian literature, they were briefly referred to by the scientific name Aronia mitschurinii, but soon dendrologist Raimonds Cinovskis mistakenly assumed that the name Aronia ×prunifolia ‘Floribunda’ applied to these plants.
In the most affected parishes – Augstkalne, Bukaiši, and Tērvete – trees were also knocked into the Svēte and Tērvete rivers. Trees falling across the rivers created blockages that raised water levels and eroded riverbanks; normal water flow in the rivers decreased, water quality deteriorated, and even fish suffocation was observed.
On the continuation of regional reform
The Law on Administrative Territories and Populated Areas stipulates that in 2029, the administrative territory of Jelgava Municipality will be merged with the administrative territory of Jelgava City. Regardless of the activities of political parties, the local government strives to find out the thoughts of the economically active residents of Jelgava Municipality regarding the merger, in order to express the majority opinion of the residents as potential support or objections to the amendments to the law.
On traffic
The proposal to abandon the reconstruction of the Riga bypass and the financing of the Southern Bridge extension from European fund resources is only part of the consequences caused by the late delivery of trains and other troubles in the previous funding period.
Providing passenger train traffic between Tartu and Riga is not possible in the near future, although the Estonian Ministry of Climate has allocated 300,000 euros for this purpose.
A pond in the middle of a street sounds absurd, but if it is Dīķa (Pond) Street, then it is ironic. People on social media have shared photos and videos of cars getting stuck in a giant puddle that proved superior to the capabilities of the vehicles. A rental car got stuck here at the end of last year.
Odds and ends
“Latvijas Neatkarīgie aldari” unites 14 small Latvian breweries with local capital and brands: “Alūksnes alus”, “Duna”, “IndieJānis”, “HAT”, “Kussh”, “Labietis”, “Malduguns”, “Manufaktūra”, “Nurme”, “Puta”, “Teika”, “Trofeja”, “Valmiermuiža”, and “Viedi”.
The sharp rise in inflation over the last year and the year before, exceeding even 20% in total from initial service prices, has also affected the costs the museum incurs to ensure its operation and business continuity.
Current events in cartoons
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