The Saeima ¹ has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:

Law on the Latvian Society House of Rīga

Section 1. Purpose of the Law

The purpose of this Law is to promote the preservation and development of the Latvian Society House of Rīga (hereinafter - the Society House), and also to regulate the maintenance and use thereof, taking into account that:

1) it is an important symbol of Latvian national self-awareness and the formation of national independence;

2) one of the oldest national and cultural organisations of Latvia - the Latvian Society of Rīga - operates therein;

3) it is an architectural monument of national significance "Building of the Latvian Society of Rīga" which is included in the List of State Protected Cultural Monuments (State Protection No. 6524) and contains the art monument of State significance "Paintings of the Facade (7)" (State Protection No. 7289) and the art monument of State significance "Set of doors" (State Protection No. 7288).

Section 2. Society House, the Basic Provisions for the Maintenance and Use Thereof

(1) The Society House in Rīga, Merķela iela 13, is the property of the Latvian Society of Rīga, entered into the Land Register of the City of Rīga with cadastre number 0100 005 0040. The Latvian Society of Rīga is responsible for the maintenance and use of the Society House in accordance with this Law and the Articles of Association of the Latvian Society of Rīga.

(2) The preservation, maintenance, and use of the Society House shall be governed by this Law, the law On Protection of Cultural Monuments, and other laws and regulations.

(3) The values of the Society House to be preserved are the historical spatial layout of the building, the volume, the original design system, the historical building structures, the use of historical traditional materials, the surface textures, the architectonically decorative finish of the facades, the facade paintings, the carpentry pieces, the interiors, the details thereof, the ornaments, the objects of historical interiors, equipment, and the mood created by the aggregate of the cultural and historical values.

(4) It shall not be permitted to perform activities in respect of the Society House which:

1) destroy or damage the values to be preserved;

2) create a burden as a result of which accelerated depreciation of the values to be preserved is expected;

3) endanger or diminish the authenticity of the object;

4) are in contradiction with the intangible values of the object.

(5) Changes related to the preservation of constructive resilience and the provision of modern quality of life to certain accessibility requirements shall be permitted in the original structure of the Society House, if the solution has been agreed with the National Heritage Board.

(6) The Society House shall be managed in such a way that it remains in the authentic state for as long as possible.

Section 3. Objectives of Use of the Society House

(1) The objectives of use of the Society House shall be as follows:

1) to study, preserve, and promote the Society House and the cultural (art) monuments and other cultural values therein, as the home of the Latvian Society of Rīga, founded in 1868, emphasising the historical significance of the Latvian Society of Rīga as the promoter of the development of education, culture, science, and national economy of Latvia and the founder of the ideas of national independence in the formation of Latvia's statehood;

2) to promote the preservation of Latvian tangible and intangible cultural heritage;

3) to promote the continuation of the Song and Dance Celebration tradition begun by the Latvian Society of Rīga in 1873, ensuring the operation of the folk groups of the Latvian Society and the proceedings anticipated within the scope of the Song and Dance Celebration in the Society House;

4) to organise educational, scientific, and cultural events, including events related to folk traditions;

5) to support the proceedings of events of national significance;

6) to ensure the preservation and renovation, research, conservation, and restoration of the Society House as a cultural (architectural) monument of national significance and the cultural (art) monuments contained therein;

7) to ensure public access to the monuments in the Society House and the events referred to in this Section.

(2) The Society House may also be used for other purposes, if it is not in contradiction with the provisions laid down in this Law.

Section 4. Sources of Financing for the Maintenance and Development of the Society House

(1) The maintenance of the Society House in conformity with the objectives specified in Section 3 of this Law shall be financed by the Latvian Society of Rīga.

(2) The State of Latvia shall participate in the financing of the renovation, research, conservation, and restoration of the Society House, including the training of specialists necessary for the performance of these works, according to the funds provided for this purpose by the annual State Budget Law and in accordance with the programme for the renovation, research, conservation, and restoration of the Society House approved by the Cabinet.

(3) The State of Latvia may participate in the implementation of the objectives specified in Section 3 of this Law if the annual State Budget Law provides for financial resources for these objectives.

(4) Local governments have the right to participate in the implementation of the objectives specified in Section 3 of this Law, including financing.

Section 5. Transitional Provisions for the Ownership Rights of the Society House

(1) In case of termination of the activities of the Latvian Society of Rīga, the Society House shall be transferred, for the implementation of the objectives specified in this Law, into the ownership of the State of Latvia exempt from all the burdens and encumbrances which have been imposed on the immovable property as a result of the liabilities and for which the State of Latvia has not expressly stated that it is taking on the relevant burdens and encumbrances.

(2) The State of Latvia has the priority right to acquire the Society House into ownership if it is alienated in enforcement proceedings through the court or by selling it at a voluntary auction.

Section 6. Restrictions on the Handling of the Society House

The owner of the Society House is prohibited from alienating or pledging the Society House to private legal persons or natural persons.

Transitional Provisions

1. The prohibition on the pledging of the Society House specified in Section 6 of this Law shall not be applicable to the encumbrances of the Society House which have been corroborated in the Land Register on the day of the coming into force of this Law.

2. Until 31 December 2019, the Latvian Society of Rīga shall develop and submit to the Cabinet the programme for the renovation, research, conservation, and restoration of the Society House referred to in Section 4, Paragraph two of this Law for approval.

3. Section 4, Paragraph two of this Law regarding the State participation in the renovation, research, conservation, and restoration of the Society House shall come into force on 1 January 2021.

The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 27 September 2018.

President R. Vējonis

Rīga, 11 October 2018

¹ The Parliament of the Republic of Latvia

Translation © 2022 Valsts valodas centrs (State Language Centre)