On Sunday, August 31, Ivars Godmanis, Prime Minister of the Republic of Latvia, paid a working visit to Slovenia and delivered a speech at the Bled International Forum on energy and climate change issues. In his address the Prime Minister named the common energy policy (CEP) as one of the most important challenges of the European Union (EU).

The Presidency in its declaration issued on August 25 on behalf of the European Union welcomes the release of the two remaining political prisoners on the EU's list, Mr Sergei Parsiukevich and Mr Andrei Kim, by the Belarusian authorities on 20 August. 

We have visited Georgia to express our full support to its democratically elected President and the legitimate Government of Georgia.

With deep concern and anxiety, we are observing the events in Georgia which at this moment is under intensive attacks by the army of the Russian Federation.

On 22 July in Brussels, Belgium, a meeting of the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) took place, with the participation of Normans Penke, the Foreign Ministry Secretary of State.

On 29 July at the sitting of the Cabinet of Ministers a report On the progress of sector policies during the Presidency of Slovenia and planned development during the Presidency of France" was approved. The Foreign Ministry, working with sector ministries, prepares this kind of informative report twice a year whenever the presiding country of the EU Council changes.

From 9 July until 11 July in Chisinau, Moldova, political consultations were held between the Foreign Ministry of Latvia and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova. During the consultations officials discussed bilateral co-operation between the two countries, current issues with regard to EU and Moldova relations, and also the progress in finding a solution to the Transnistrian conflict.

On 26 June this year, the leaders of the so called Reflection Group on the future of the European Union until 2020-2030 met at the Ridzene Hotel in Riga.