On 21 April 2026, David Meyer, President of the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO), participated in the conference Ethics in Contemporary Parliamentarism in Riga, organised by the Mandate, Ethics and Submissions Committee of the Parliament of the Republic of Latvia.

The conference brought together representatives of Baltic parliaments to address key challenges, including the balance between freedom of expression and responsibility, ethical standards for members of parliament on social media, and the effectiveness of sanctions for ethical violations. In his presentation, Mr Meyer underlined that “the remaining challenge is no longer primarily legislative. It is cultural.” While noting that Latvia has a solid legislative framework in place, he stressed that its effectiveness depends on sustained efforts to build and maintain a culture of integrity in practice.

He also highlighted Latvia’s progress in implementing GRECO’s recommendations and strengthening integrity in public administration, while stressing the need for continued vigilance: “Latvia's record in GRECO is a story of serious democratic maturation — carried out in public, under international scrutiny, with very few shortcuts taken. But the work of safeguarding integrity is never finished. Corruption does not retire, it adapts, finding new technologies, new procurement channels and new forms of influence. Latvia has built the institutions to confront it. Now each new legislature must find the political will to sustain them — renewed by every generation of Members.”.

Mr Meyer also took part in a panel discussion on further strengthening ethical standards and practices in Baltic parliaments, exchanging views with members of Parliament from across the region.