Good evening, dear people of Latvia!
Good evening, friends!
Tonight, we look to the future with determination and a brave hope. With a hope for a better tomorrow for ourselves and our children, for peace and security. This year our shared challenges have increased, and the word “security” has a new meaning. As of 24 February, the world has changed in a way which seemed impossible to many, yet this has become reality – thousands of people just next door in Ukraine will meet the new year in darkness, cold and suffering.
Ukraine’s heroic fight against Russia’s brutality and Putin’s imperialism clearly demonstrates that unity is a decisive strength. This strength determines the fate of nations. This year, I have felt our society’s ability to unite more strongly than ever since the restoration of the independence of our state. I am grateful to everyone – for your strong and unified support for Ukraine and its people, as well as for actively participating in shaping and securing the future of our own state. We may occasionally differ in our opinions, however we have an abundance of empathy and generosity welcoming in our country those who need it the most right now. Common values – freedom, democracy and the rule of law – are the unwavering foundations of our openness.
A free and democratic state is a joint path we take, where everyone has the opportunity to make it safer, more consolidated and greater. We must continue our road to an ever stronger Latvia. We are already working on it, yet together we can do so much more to strengthen the security of Latvia and NATO. Today by working together we can do so much more also in reorganising our economy and making it more resilient.
We need to join together all our strengths to collectively achieve economic development which will improve our own lives, as well as those of future generations.
Through comprehensive economic reform and reorientation towards high-tech exports, we need to ensure that our security is reinforced, our people are better educated, our businesses – more competitive, our energy independence – more extensive, our quality of life – trending upwards. In this process of change, each and every one has a role to play – from professional teachers, to qualified welders, to excellent doctors. Our common duty is to perform our work responsibly, thinking about how each of us can help raise wellbeing of our state.
Looking back at this year as it draws to a close, let us appreciate that we have grown in our courage and maturity in self-determination. Let us recognise our own strength, which has proven over and over again that we are a strong and powerful nation, united in our love for our country. Only we can shape its future. Our actions bring results.
Dear friends,
Let us be demanding towards our goals, our knowledge and our work. Let us raise our standards for our daily performance ever higher and move with greater determination towards our common objective of making our Latvia ever stronger. We are surrounded with strong friends and allies, with whom we share common values and clear goals. This is a stable ground for each and every one of us to be able to raise our heads higher, stand taller and look to the future with courage and certainty. Let us become even smarter, even more united and more confident in our ability to together shape a strong, secure and prosperous state!
Thank you to everyone who is shaping and building our state! Thank you to everyone who chooses to take action!
Together we will succeed!
Happy New Year!