Joint Chamber Dinner with the Prime Minister

On April 20, more than 170 foreign investors` representatives, diplomats, Latvian business people and members of the American, British, Danish, German, Finnish, Irish, Netherlands, Norwegian, Swedish and Swiss Chambers of Commerce and the Foreign Investors’ Council of Latvia (FICIL) attended the Joint Chamber Dinner with the Prime Minister Maris Kučinskis.

The necessity for a strong political leadership in addressing the sustainable development of the Latvian economy was one of the key issues highlighted by foreign investors during the dinner. The Prime Minister was asked to cover areas including the demographic situation, limited availability of labour and status of ongoing reforms in education and healthcare systems.

According to Ms Zlata Elksniņa-Zaščirinska, Chairperson of FICIL who served as a moderator, everybody shall think how to improve their competitiveness. “If we want our economy to continue to grow, and companies to invest more in the country, then we shall act accordingly. Words alone will not suffice. Foreign investors as well as local entrepreneurs want to see a strong political leadership, continued reforms and favourable conditions for the country’s further development,” she said.

The Prime Minister Kučinskis spoke on the core issues which should be improved in the nearest future: to join forces on improving the business climate, ensure a more predictable and stable tax system, to make the budget spending more transparent, tackle the shadow economy as well as complete the difficult reforms in education and healthcare sectors. Regarding the demographic situation, the Prime Minister was convinced that by building a stable and sustainable country, those who have emigrated would be convinced to return to Latvia.

The event was supported by GlaxoSmithKline, Microsoft Latvia, Swiss Baltic Business Expertsand Tark Grunte Sutkiene.