EU Budget Benefits for Latvia

In January, it was announced that Ushakov had been appointed as the main rapporteur for the European Union’s 2027 budget. This is the first time in history that such a position is held by a member of parliament from Latvia or one of the Baltic states.

“But if we talk about the role of the European Parliament, the budget is one of the rare areas in which it truly functions as a parliament. Namely, the European Parliament votes on the budget, and it is in the budget that the European Parliament can make amendments, significant changes, as long as it is agreed to by the European Commission and the Council of the EU,” the politician explains.

In both the European Council and the European Parliament, decisions are made by majority vote; there is no right of veto. However, according to Ushakov, a lot depends on which country holds the rotating presidency at the time of the vote.

“Let’s say that the 2026 budget was adopted during the Danish presidency. Every time it has its own impact, because each country has its own priorities and attitude, including in terms of how funds are spent. For example, Denmark is considered a country that spends as prudently as possible, always avoiding unnecessary spending and expenses. This also has an impact,” explains the member of the European Parliament.