As the Saeima works on a draft law aimed at diversifying gas supply routes and expanding gas reserves, Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš has sided with those who recognize the need for an LNG terminal in the near future, but in the longer term considers that we should focus on nuclear energy.
In his annual report on the achievements and plans of the Cabinet of Ministers, Krišjānis Kariņš began by focusing on the Russian-led war in Ukraine and the extent to which Latvia, together with the whole democratic world, supports Ukraine in this fight, while the Russian President will have to answer for this brutal war at the Hague Tribunal.
After a broader description of the events in Ukraine, the Prime Minister turned to more mundane issues, which had become much more topical on the national agenda due to Russia's aggressive actions. Namely, Latvia's energy independence.
Neatkarīgā has already reported that amendments to the Energy Law prepared by the Conservatives (Konservatīvie) party have been submitted to the committees, which has led some MPs to believe that the LNG Skulte terminal project, which was stuck in the corridors of power before the pandemic, is being prepared for implementation.
According to Kariņš, he supports the construction of such a terminal, but it is not yet clear whether it should be located on Latvian territory.
"If we want to continue with gas in the medium term, we need a second LNG terminal in the Baltic region. There are various projects in Latvia and Estonia where such a terminal could be built. We need to look with a clear head at what would be the most beneficial for our consumers, because the center of the gas supply system and the most valuable piece of infrastructure is the Inčukalns underground storage facility, which is state-owned and controlled," the Prime Minister said.
However, given that diversification of gas supplies will shift the country's dependence on Russian energy to other suppliers, the Prime Minister urged to think about turning to nuclear energy. "This is an option that we as a country need to seriously consider, whether it would be beneficial for us," Kariņš stressed. And it turns out that the Prime Minister already has some ideas on the subject. He has spoken to the British Prime Minister about the potential use of nuclear submarine reactors for civilian purposes on land.
"They have nuclear submarines, each with a small power plant. These kinds of power plants could also be used on land. And they have an interest in developing that, we might have that kind of interest too,"
the Prime Minister said, adding that the nuclear waste issue should also be addressed when turning to nuclear power.
Kariņš also touched upon another issue raised by the war in Ukraine - the need to free people from the Kremlin's information environment and to unite the Latvian people regardless of ethnicity.
"We must use this opportunity to help those people who may have lived for decades in a completely different information environment. Let us not start with condemnation. Let us start with explanations. And I am convinced that if we, the vast majority of society, really want to bring these people into our society in an inclusive way, we will succeed," the Prime Minister said.
Igors Pimenovs, a member of the opposition Harmony (Saskaņa) party, saw contradictions in what Kariņš said and in what the government he heads is doing to bring people together. In his opinion, this is evidenced by the fact that the Minister of Education and Science, in the context of the events in Ukraine, stressed the need to ensure that all children living in Latvia have the opportunity to receive education exclusively in the state language.
"I would like to draw your attention, Mr Kariņš, and the attention of the members of the Saeima, to the fact that these intentions of the parties in the government coalition have caused outrage in society and undermined the trust of the people belonging to Latvia's national minorities in the government. This latest attack against the use of national minority languages is aimed objectively first and foremost at the Russian language, which is spoken at home by 37 percent of the country's population," said the opposition member, admitting that this initiative is being taken now because it is hoped that "the Russian diaspora in Latvia may be demoralized and unable to show effective resistance to the complete abolition of the Russian as a language of instruction in schools".
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