For those unable to attend in person, the event can be watched online on the following portals: www.delfi.lv (under the “Live Broadcasts” section), www.la.lv, and the LETA news agency channel at www.leta.lv.

As part of the forum, the latest SKDS study on the attitudes and tolerance of Latvian citizens towards smuggling will be presented. This study sheds light on the general opinion of the public regarding the smuggling problem in the country. It also explores attitudes towards purchasing smuggled goods, knowledge about the places where such goods are obtained, and potential punishments and actions to reduce smuggling.

For example, the study reveals that the population's tolerance towards purchasing contraband goods continues to decline in Latvia. This year, only 28% of the population considered buying contraband goods as not reprehensible, which is a decrease of 2% compared to 2022 when 30% of the population held the same view. In contrast, back in 2013, 46% of the population believed that buying contraband goods was not bad or reprehensible.

Furthermore, cigarettes and other tobacco and nicotine products remain the most popular smuggled goods in Latvia. According to this year's study, 12% of respondents admitted to purchasing these products themselves, while another 10% acknowledged that their friends or acquaintances have done so. Similarly, 4% of respondents reported buying contraband fuel (with 5% stating their friends or acquaintances have done it), and 3% of respondents disclosed buying contraband alcoholic beverages (with 4% mentioning their friends or acquaintances doing the same).

During the forum, Baiba Šmite-Roķe, Deputy Director of the SRS Tax Administration, will present the current situation in combating the smuggling of excise goods in Latvia. Additionally, Mārtiņš Āboliņš, economist at "Citadele" bank and member of the Fiscal Discipline Council, will discuss the current economic situation, future forecasts, and the potential impact on the shadow economy. The forum will also feature a review of the most recent research on the circulation and consumption of illegal cigarettes in Europe and Latvia, along with a presentation by a representative from the State Police regarding ongoing efforts to combat the illegal market and production. Following the presentation section, a discussion titled "Challenges in the Fight Against Smuggling in the Context of the Current Political and Economic Situation" will take place.

Participants:

  • Arnis Sauka, shadow economy researcher and professor at SSE Riga
  • Juris Stinka, board member of the BASE (Business Against Shadow Economy) association
  • Mārtiņš Āboliņš, economist at "Citadele" bank and member of the Fiscal Discipline Council
  • Arnis Kaktiņš, director of the research center SKDS
  • Baiba Šmite-Roķe, Deputy Director of the SRS Tax Administration
  • Pēteris Bauska, Chief of the Directorate for Combating Serious and Serial Crimes of the Main Criminal Police Department of the State Police
  • Madara Apsalone, Head of External Relations at "Philip Morris Latvia"

Representatives from the Ministry of Finance, SRS, State Police, excise goods industry associations, and others will participate in the discussion section.

The forum is organized by the BASE association and SSE Riga in collaboration with SKDS.