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Opening the meeting, the president said that fostering economic development would be one of his main priorities. Vejonis emphasized that he would help tackle problems in various industries, and noted the active role of the Employers' Confederation at the trilateral cooperation council, LETA learned from the President's Press Office.

The Employers Confederation's President Vitalijs Gavrilovs said he appreciated Vejonis' willingness to be involved in solving economic matters in Latvia. The government has a high opinion of the confederation's suggestions and proposals, for instance, last year 87% of the confederation's proposals were taken into consideration and included in various regulations and programs, said Gavrilovs. However, few of local governments in Latvia understand the opportunities offered by such trilateral dialog, he added, urging the president to help municipalities realize the importance of involving businessmen in municipal decisions.

Fostering economic activity, successful entrepreneurship, and rising standards of living are all important aspects of national security, said Gavrilovs. "Therefore we call on the president to do everything in his power to foster the development of competitive business environment in Latvia and we, as the government's social partner, are prepared to make our contribution to successful implementation of socioeconomic initiatives," he said.

The Employer Confederation's representatives and Vejonis also agreed that the education system should better match the requirements of the labor market, especially in the regions where there are fewer job openings.

Latvijas Mobilais telefons telecommunications company's CEO Juris Binde stressed that qualified workforce was one of the preconditions for companies' competitiveness. He also stressed the need to teach entrepreneurship skills to young people so there would be more employers. Vejonis indicated, in turn, the importance of including Latvian scientific discoveries in the manufacturing process.

The participants in the meeting also mentioned budget planning, and both sides agreed that the tax policy and tax system need to be stable and predictable in the long term, which will boost investors' confidence in Latvia.

In conclusion, the Employers' Confederation noted that simplifying the tax system should be considered in the long term, which would also reduce tax administration costs. The employers also said that funding for new policy initiatives should come not from higher taxes but by taking money from where various institutions' functions overlap.