2021 in Latvia explained

Events in the year 2021 in Latvia.

Incumbents

• President

Egils Levits

• Prime Minister

Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš

Events

Ongoing — COVID-19 pandemic in Latvia

January

• 1 January:
  • tax changes:^[1]
    • the national minimum wage was officially raised from €430 to €500 a month.
    • the personal income tax-free minimum (PIT) has been increased from €250 to €300 per month.
    • the non-taxable minimum for pensioners with PIT was increased to €330 per month instead of the current €300.
    • the income threshold to which the differentiated PIT non-taxable minimum applies was increased from 1,200 to 1,800 euros per month.
    • the rate of compulsory state social insurance contributions (SSIAI) was reduced by 1%. Namely, from the previous 35.09% to 34.09% - by 0.5% for both employers and employees.
    • the solidarity tax rate was reduced by 0.5% from 25.5% to 25%.
  • Public Broadcasting of Latvia left the advertising market thanks to state funding.^[2]
• 7 January:
  • Ilze Viņķele was relieved of his duties as Minister of Health, and Minister of Defense Artis Pabriks was appointed Acting Minister.
  • The Saeima approved Daniels Pavļuts as the Minister of Health.
  • The National Alliance submits to the Saeima a draft law regarding an amendment to the Constitution, which intends to strictly define the concept of family as a union of a male and a female person.^[3]

April

• 28 April – Riga hostel fire

June

• 5 June – 2021 Latvian municipal elections was held.^[4]

Deaths

• 27 February – Alvils Gulbis, basketball player (born 1936).
• 14 March – Māris Grīnblats, politician, minister of Education (born 1955).^[5]
• 24 March – Uldis Bērziņš, poet and translator (born 1944).^[6]
• 27 June – Jevgeņijs Drobots, politician and engineer (born 1946).
• 4 July – Matīss Kivlenieks, professional ice hockey goaltender (born 1996).
• July 18 – Valerij Zhuravliov, Soviet/Latvian chess master (born 1938).
• 14 September – Ansis Bērziņš, film producer and director (born 1940).
• 14 October – Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš, politician and diplomat (born 1949).
• 5 November – Andris Kolbergs, writer (born 1938).

Notes and References

1. Web site: Ko nesīs 2021. gads? Lielāka minimālā alga un pabalsti, mazākas sociālās iemaksas. lsm.lv. Latvijas Sabiedriskais medijs. 30 December 2020. 2 January 2021. lv.
2. Web site: Sabiedriskie mediji pamet reklāmas tirgu. Ko tas nozīmē. www.lsm.lv. 2021-01-02. lv.
3. Web site: National Alliance wants Constitution of Latvia to strictly define 'family'.
4. Web site: Local Elections 2021 . cvk.lv . 3 January 2021.
5. Web site: Former Education Minister Grīnblats passes away . eng.lsm.lv . 31 March 2021.
6. Web site: Poet, translator Uldis Bērziņš passes away . eng.lsm.lv . 31 March 2021.