Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre) with amending laws of:
10 December 2020 [shall
come into force on 1 January 2021].
If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the
date of the amending law appears in square brackets at
the end of the section. If a whole section, paragraph or
clause has been deleted, the date of the deletion appears
in square brackets beside the deleted section, paragraph
or clause.
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The Saeima 1 has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:
Diaspora Law
Chapter I
General Provisions
Section 1. Terms Used in this
Law
The following terms are used in the Law:
1) diaspora - citizens of Latvia, Latvians, and others
who are permanently residing outside Latvia and have a link with
Latvia, and also their family members;
2) remigration - return or moving of a member of
diaspora from permanent life abroad to permanent life in
Latvia;
3) diaspora organisation - an association of persons
the main activity of which is directed towards ensuring the
interests of diaspora.
Section 2. Purposes of the Law
The Law has the following purposes:
1) to strengthen the Latvian identity and affiliation to
Latvia of diaspora as an integral part of the society of
Latvia;
2) to ensure possibilities for diaspora to freely establish,
maintain, and strengthen the link with Latvia;
3) to promote the preservation of the Latvian language and
culture in diaspora;
4) to develop and implement a systemic and permanent diaspora
support policy and measures which promote the Latvian identity of
diaspora and link with the culture, economics, national economy,
and science of Latvia, the availability of the Latvian language,
culture, and traditions for diaspora and ensure favourable
conditions for remigration (hereinafter - the diaspora
policy);
5) to support and promote the civic and political
participation of diaspora.
Section 3. Scope of Application of
the Law
The Law prescribes:
1) the role of diaspora in the State of Latvia and law system,
the basic principles for the cooperation of Latvia and diaspora,
the tasks of the diaspora policy and the directions of diaspora
support, the ways in which the participation of diaspora in
decision-making and social life shall be ensured, and also the
persons involved in the implementation of the diaspora policy and
their competence in the particular sector of the diaspora
policy;
2) the basic principles for granting the financing for
diaspora and remigration initiatives, for participation in
decision-making and social life;
3) the diaspora and remigration support measures.
Chapter II
Diaspora Policy and the Implementation Thereof
Section 4. Tasks of the Diaspora
Policy
The tasks of the diaspora policy shall be as follows:
1) to support and promote initiatives and cooperation forms
directed towards diaspora, creating favourable circumstances for
the establishment of diaspora link with Latvia and for
remigration;
2) to ensure the possibility for diaspora members to acquire
the Latvian language, and also to get to know the history of
Latvia, State structure and administration, the Latvian culture
and traditions through formal and non-formal education;
3) to promote the preservation, protection, and development in
diaspora of the Latvian language, also the Latgalian written
language as historical variation of the Latvian language, and
also that of the Livonian language;
4) to support strengthening of the Latvian identity,
preservation of the intangible cultural heritage of Latvia in
diaspora, also preservation of history and cultural heritage of
diaspora;
5) to promote availability of the manifestations of Latvian
and diaspora culture;
6) to promote representation of diaspora in public service
remit, to ensure availability of public electronic mass media
programmes and services to diaspora and to support production and
publishing of plots, broadcasts, and other materials related to
diaspora abroad;
7) to inform diaspora of the diaspora policy and the
implementation thereof;
8) to support diaspora self-organisation and diaspora
organisations;
9) to promote involvement of diaspora members and diaspora
organisations in the development of the policy planning documents
and laws and regulations related to diaspora;
10) to ensure availability of the State administration
services to diaspora members, and also to inform thereof;
11) to support and promote civic and political participation
of diaspora in the amount specified in laws and regulations;
12) to support cooperation of diaspora with Latvia in the
field of national economy, education, and science of Latvia;
13) to promote involvement of diaspora in the development and
promotion of the national economy, export, and investments of
Latvia, knowledge and technology transfer, State administration,
research and development.
Section 5. Principles for the
Implementation of the Diaspora Policy
(1) Public persons and the authorities thereof, and also
private individuals, when fulfilling the administration tasks
delegated thereto, shall conform to the principles for the
implementation of the diaspora policy.
(2) The principles for the implementation of the diaspora
policy shall be as follows:
1) the principle of Latvian affiliation - to strengthen the
Latvian identity of diaspora members and affiliation to Latvia
(for example, through preservation of the Latvian language and
culture and organising of different measures and camps of
non-formal education);
2) the principle of inclusion - to promote the formation of
such circumstances in which diaspora members have the possibility
to return or move to permanent life to Latvia, and also to
support the remigrated diaspora members (for example, to promote
export, investments, technology transfer, and also to efficiently
integrate diaspora members in the education system and labour
market of Latvia in conformity with their capacity, education,
and qualification);
3) the principle of respect for interests - when solving
issues related to diaspora, to assess the diaspora interests,
rights, needs, and possibilities. This principle also requires to
assess the impact of policy planning documents and laws and
regulations on diaspora;
4) the principle of availability of information - to ensure
diaspora with information conforming to its needs;
5) the principle of participation - to ensure diaspora members
and diaspora organisations with timely possibility to involve on
site or remotely in the development of policy planning documents
and laws and regulations related to diaspora;
6) the principle of equal opportunities - to ensure the
possibility for diaspora members to participate freely without
any discrimination in public, civic, political, cultural, and
economic life activities in Latvia, conforming to the objective
circumstances related to permanent residence abroad;
7) the principle of continuity - to ensure continuity of the
diaspora policy measures and sustainable State support for the
diaspora policy and diaspora organisations.
Section 6. Competence of State
Administration Authorities in the Field of the Diaspora
Policy
(1) The diaspora policy, by involving diaspora members,
diaspora organisations, and other natural and legal persons in
accordance with the State Administration Structure Law, shall be
implemented by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of
Economics, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry
for Culture, the Ministry of Welfare, the Ministry of
Environmental Protection and Regional Development, the Ministry
of the Interior, the Ministry of Health, the Public Electronic
Mass Media Council, the planning regions, local governments and
other State administration authorities according to their
competence by fulfilling the tasks specified in this Law and
other laws and regulations.
(2) The competence of ministries in the field of the diaspora
policy:
1) the Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall:
a) ensure the development and coordinated implementation of
the unified diaspora policy, thus maintaining the system of
measures for work with diaspora;
b) facilitate the cooperation and coherence of action of State
administration authorities and private individuals involved in
the implementation of the diaspora policy;
c) develop the documents for the diaspora policy planning and
submit them to the Cabinet for approval;
d) coordinate the development process of priority diaspora
support measures;
e) submit the State budget financing request which is
necessary for the implementation of the diaspora policy and which
has been prepared by involving the competent authorities;
f) cooperate with diaspora members and support the projects
created by diaspora organisations;
g) support researches dedicated to the diaspora policy;
h) improve the cooperation and communication with
diaspora;
i) support the measures for diaspora youth and children;
j) by cooperating with the competent authorities of foreign
countries and Latvia, coordinate the protection of the rights of
diaspora members, especially its minor members, abroad in
accordance with that laid down in the Diplomatic and Consular
Service Law and the Law on Consular Assistance and Consular
Services;
2) the Ministry of Economics shall:
a) promote the involvement of diaspora in the support
programmes related to promoting the competitiveness of economic
activity;
b) promote the involvement of diaspora in the measures of
international level with a view to facilitate increase in export,
tourism, attraction of foreign investments, knowledge and
technology transfer;
c) promote the involvement of diaspora in the national economy
of Latvia, inter alia, by informing diaspora on the
possibilities of economic activity or cooperation in Latvia;
3) the Ministry of Education and Science shall:
a) implement a unified national policy in respect of diaspora
weekend schools, diaspora summer high schools, and other
non-formal education activities of diaspora (hereinafter also -
the diaspora education);
b) coordinate the acquisition of education of diaspora
teachers and educators and the raising of professional skills
thereof;
c) coordinate research and methodological work in the field of
diaspora education;
d) develop and implement the guidelines of the diaspora
education;
e) develop and implement support measures conforming to the
guidelines of the diaspora education, inter alia, shall
develop methodological teaching aids and ensure the availability
thereof;
f) develop and implement support measures which are directed
towards the Latvian language, also preservation, protection, and
development in diaspora of the Latgalian written language as
historical variation of the Latvian language, and also that of
the Livonian language;
g) ensure the organisation and availability of the
examinations of the proficiency in the official language for
diaspora at the permanent places of residence of its members
abroad by issuing an appropriate certificate of the proficiency
in the official language;
h) organise the public service remit in the field of diaspora
research and for cooperation with diaspora in the field of
science and research;
i) coordinate and implement cooperation with diaspora in the
field of youth policy;
j) control the use of the State budget funds intended for the
implementation of the diaspora policy in the authorities under
subordination thereof and in diaspora organisations according to
the delegated State administration tasks;
k) coordinate cooperation with foreign countries and
international organisations in the field of the diaspora
education;
l) promote inclusion of remigrated diaspora members in the
education system of Latvia;
4) the Ministry of Culture shall:
a) support measures for strengthening of the Latvian identity
intended for diaspora members belonging to different age
groups;
b) promote the preservation of intangible cultural heritage,
inter alia, providing methodological and material support
for diaspora for ensuring sustainability of the Song and Dance
Celebration at the permanent places of residence of its members
abroad and for the participation in the Song and Dance
Celebration in Latvia;
c) support measures which are directed towards research and
preservation of the tangible cultural and historical heritage of
diaspora;
d) permanently and systematically promote strengthening of the
operation of diaspora organisations;
e) support the production and publishing of diaspora-related
plots, broadcasts, and other materials abroad;
5) the Ministry of Welfare shall:
a) cooperate with diaspora in the field of social protection
policy;
b) develop and implement support measures for the promotion
and integration of diaspora employment in the labour market in
Latvia;
c) coordinate and implement cooperation with diaspora in the
field of social entrepreneurship;
d) provide information on vacant workplaces and labour market
situation in Latvia, ensure the possibility for diaspora members
to post their curriculum vitae on the website of the State
Employment Agency for the purpose of seeking employment;
6) the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional
Development shall:
a) develop and implement regional diaspora support measures,
also remigration promotion and facilitation measures, inter
alia, establish and supervise the national focal point for
remigration issues, and also supervise the network of regional
coordinators for remigration to be established by planning
regions and local governments;
b) within the framework of its competence, supervise the
operation of planning regions and local government in the field
of the diaspora policy, prepare an evaluation on the diaspora
support measures ensured by the planning regions and local
governments, also remigration promotion measures, and proposals
for their improvement;
7) the Ministry of the Interior shall:
a) facilitate that diaspora has access to the information on
the procedures for the acquisition and renewal of the citizenship
of Latvia;
b) ensure the possibility of diaspora members to indicate also
one address in Latvia in addition to the address of the place of
residence abroad;
8) the Ministry of Health shall ensure the possibility for
diaspora members to make voluntary contributions in order to
obtain the right to receive health care services within the scope
of the State mandatory health insurance.
(3) The Public Electronic Mass Media Council shall:
1) promote the representation of diaspora-related events in
the public service remit;
2) promote the availability of public electronic mass media
programmes and services to diaspora.
(4) Planning regions shall plan and implement regional
diaspora support measures within the scope of their competence,
and also establish a regional remigration coordination network
which:
1) in cooperation with local governments, establishes the
network of specialists of local governments which ensures
diaspora support measures, also remigration promotion and
facilitation measures;
2) prepare proposals for the improvement of diaspora support
measures ensured by the State and local government authorities in
the territory of certain planning regions.
(5) The State administration authorities shall, according to
their competence, when implementing the diaspora policy:
1) assess the impact of the relevant sectoral policy on
diaspora;
2) ensure diaspora members and diaspora organisations with
timely possibility to involve in the development of policy
planning documents and laws and regulations related to
diaspora.
[10 December 2020]
Section 7. Delegation of the
Administrative Tasks Related to Diaspora
State administration authorities may, within the scope of
their competence and in accordance with the procedures laid down
in the State Administration Structure Law, delegate the
administration tasks specified in Section 6 of this Law to other
public persons and private individuals.
Section 8. Participation of Diaspora
in the Development and Implementation of the Diaspora Policy
(1) Diaspora members and diaspora organisations have the right
to participate in the development and implementation of the
diaspora policy, inter alia:
1) by involving in the development of the diaspora
policy-related policy planning documents and laws and regulations
in accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and
regulations regarding public participation in the development
planning process;
2) by acting in the Diaspora Advisory Council in conformity
with the by-laws thereof;
3) by developing and implementing the diaspora policy-related
projects and initiatives, and also by participating in other
measures of similar type.
(2) The diaspora organisations which are operating abroad and
are registered in Latvia shall be equal with diaspora
organisations which are operating and are registered in Latvia in
terms of the scope of rights within the meaning of those laws and
regulations which govern the operation of the relevant
organisations in Latvia.
Section 9. Competence of Local
Governments in the Field of the Diaspora Policy
(1) A local government may, in conformity with the principles
for the implementation of the diaspora policy and State diaspora
policy planning documents, plan and implement the diaspora policy
of the local government, inter alia, ensure the
institutional system for the work with diaspora and provide
support to the State administration authorities in the
implementation of the diaspora policy.
(2) A local government shall ensure diaspora members and
diaspora organisations with the possibility to involve in the
development of the policy planning documents of the local
government and of the laws and regulations.
(3) A local government may establish an advisory committee in
diaspora matters or provide for other procedures by which the
work with diaspora is to be carried out, and also provide
diaspora members with social, material support or support of
other type not referred to in this Law for the implementation of
the objectives of this Law, also for the promotion or
facilitation of remigration.
Section 10. Diaspora Advisory
Council
(1) The Diaspora Advisory Council is an advisory body the
purpose of which is to promote coordinated development of the
diaspora policy and determination of its annual priorities, and
also development and assessment of the diaspora policy.
(2) The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall be responsible for
the organisation of the operation of the Diaspora Advisory
Council and ensuring the secretarial functions thereof.
(3) The representatives delegated by the State administration,
local governments, diaspora organisations, associations and
foundations shall be included in the composition of the Diaspora
Advisory Council.
(4) The Diaspora Advisory Council shall provide proposals to
the ministries regarding laws and regulations and policy planning
documents concerning diaspora.
(5) The Diaspora Advisory Council shall assess the diaspora
policy-related proposals received from diaspora members, diaspora
organisations, and State administrative organisations and provide
an opinion on proposals which it considers as necessary to be
supported.
(6) The composition and by-laws of the Diaspora Advisory
Council shall be approved by the Cabinet.
Chapter III
Diaspora Support Measures
Section 11. Strengthening of the
Latvian Identity and Affiliation to Latvia, Preservation of the
Latvian Language, Research and Preservation of Culture
(1) In order to strengthen the link of diaspora with Latvia,
the authorities referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one of this
Law shall, according to their competence, ensure permanent and
systematic support:
1) with financing and methodology for the operation of
diaspora weekend schools and summer high schools, and also for
raising of professional qualification of the teachers of such
schools;
2) for the organisation of non-formal interest-related
education and language camps for diaspora children in Latvia and
abroad;
3) for the preservation, protection, and development in
diaspora of the Latvian language, also the Latgalian written
language as a historical variation of the Latvian language, and
also that of the Livonian language;
4) for the operation of interest groups of diaspora children,
youth, and adults abroad;
5) for the organisation of intergeneration (three by three)
and youth (two by two) meetings or similar meetings in Latvia and
abroad;
6) for the preservation, protection, and development of
intangible cultural heritage, the availability of the Latvian and
diaspora culture, art, and music, and the preservation and
maintenance of the Song and Dance Celebration traditions in
diaspora;
7) for the exploration and preservation of the history and
cultural heritage of diaspora;
8) for diaspora initiatives in Latvia;
9) for the exchange programmes which ensure the possibility
for diaspora children and youth to learn in the schools and
higher education institutions of Latvia;
10) for other initiatives conforming to the tasks of the
diaspora policy specified in Section 4 of this Law.
(2) The State and local government authorities, and also
private individuals are entitled to conduct also different
diaspora support measures in order to help it to maintain the
link with Latvia.
Section 12. Protection of the Rights
and Interests of Diaspora Abroad
The State shall ensure the protection of the rights and
interests of diaspora within the meaning of the Diplomatic and
Consular Service Law and the Law on Consular Assistance and
Consular Services and promote availability of consular services
and consular assistance for diaspora members at their permanent
place of residence abroad.
Section 13. Purposeful Involvement
of Diaspora in the Development of National Economy, State
Administration, and Science of Latvia
In order to purposefully involve diaspora in the development
of national economy, State administration, and science of Latvia,
the authorities referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one of this
Law, according to their competence, shall:
1) implement measures which promote the involvement of
diaspora in the economic activity in Latvia;
2) implement measures which facilitate the involvement of the
performers of economic activity, scientists, and other
professionals of diaspora in the promotion of export and
investments, sectoral development, technology transfer, research
and development;
3) ensure permanent and systemic research of diaspora and
remigration issues for the implementation of efficient diaspora
policy and remigration;
4) ensure that professional experience of diaspora members
which is obtained during service in international organisations
is recognised in the State and local government authorities of
Latvia.
Section 14. Promotion of Diaspora
Civic and Political Participation
In order to promote diaspora civic and political
participation, the authorities referred to in Section 6,
Paragraph one of this Law shall, according to their
competence:
1) promote participation of the citizens of Latvia with voting
right in elections and national referendum by creating polling
stations abroad the number of which is commensurate to the number
of voters, by facilitating the procedures by which postal voting
is performed and providing for the possibility for postal voting
in local government elections;
2) ensure State support for the strengthening of the activity
of diaspora organisations;
3) ensure the possibility for diaspora members and diaspora
organisations to involve in the development of policy planning
documents and laws and regulations related to diaspora, where
necessary, also remotely;
4) ensure that an impact assessment on diaspora is included in
the ex-ante evaluation (annotation) of laws and
regulations;
5) ensure the availability of the information and e-services
provided by the State to diaspora.
Section 15. Remigration Support
(1) The State and local governments shall support reunion of
the people of Latvia and carry out measures to facilitate the
return or move of diaspora members for permanent life to
Latvia.
(2) In order to ensure successful integration of diaspora
children and youth in the education system of Latvia, the
authorities referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one of this Law
shall, according to their competence:
1) ensure the possibility for diaspora members to register
their children in the general education institutions, also in the
pre-school education institutions, and vocational education
institutions of Latvia in a timely manner before remigration;
2) ensure permanent and systemic support for the integration
of diaspora children in the education system of Latvia;
3) promote attraction of diaspora youth to studies in higher
education institutions of Latvia temporarily or permanently,
inter alia, providing the support necessary for the
acquisition of the Latvian language.
(3) In order to ensure successful integration of remigrated
diaspora members in the society and labour market of Latvia, the
authorities referred to in Section 6, Paragraph one of this Law
shall, according to their competence:
1) provide support to diaspora which is necessary for the
acquisition of the Latvian language and the involvement in the
measures for promoting employment or economic activity;
2) in respect of diaspora members and their family members
whose origin is not related to Latvia, determine simplified
procedures for the equalisation and recognition of the education,
academic degrees, and professional qualification, also in
regulated professions, obtained abroad, thus providing for the
possibility to work in a particular sector or higher education
institution in Latvia.
(4) When determining the rights of those diaspora members who
have returned to Latvia and request maternity, paternity, or
parental benefit, the time periods of social insurance
contributions made in the European Union states and European
Economic Area countries shall be taken into account.
(5) The national focal point for remigration issues and the
regional network of coordinators for remigration is established
for the provision and coordination of remigration support.
(6) For the purpose of facilitation of remigration, the State
institutions shall examine the requests of diaspora members for
granting social security services and take a decision within the
same time periods as in respect of the permanent inhabitants of
Latvia if the necessary information from the foreign social
security institutions has been received.
(7) The State and local governments shall provide assistance
in solving issues of residential premises (apartment) in
accordance with the laws and regulations regarding assistance in
solving issues of residential premises (apartment).
(8) For a remigrated diaspora member to be regarded as a
resident of Latvia for the purpose of taxation, the pension
non-taxable minimum in the amount as specified in the relevant
foreign country is applied in respect of the taxation of the
pension income obtained abroad with the personal income tax.
Section 16. Additional Address of
the Place of Residence
(1) In order to facilitate remigration, diaspora members have
the right to indicate also one address in Latvia in addition to
the address of the place of residence abroad.
(2) Additional address in Latvia in terms of legal
consequences shall be regarded to be equivalent to the address of
the declared place of residence in Latvia in respect of the
admission of children in general education institutions, also in
pre-school education institutions, and vocational education
institutions, and also in other cases provided for in laws and
regulations.
(3) The additional address referred to in Paragraph one of
this Section shall not be taken into account, when
determining:
1) the residence of the person for taxation purposes in
accordance with the law On Taxes and Duties;
2) the electoral district of the person in accordance with Law
on the Election of the Saeima;
3) the right to social insurance benefits and State benefits
and disbursement of such benefits.
Chapter IV
Financing for the Implementation of the Diaspora Policy
Section 17. Financing for the
Implementation of the Diaspora Policy
The diaspora policy shall be financed from the State budget
funds, providing for appropriate financing which may be planned
in a long term and is adjustable to the dynamics of numerical
composition and activities of diaspora. The diaspora policy may
be financed also from other sources.
Transitional Provisions
1. Section 10 of this Law shall come into force on 1 March
2019. The Cabinet shall, by 28 February 2019, approve the by-laws
and composition of the Diaspora Advisory Council.
2. Section 6, Paragraph two, Clause 7, Sub-clause "b" of this
Law which provides for the competence of the Ministry of the
Interior to ensure the possibility for diaspora members to
register one address in Latvia in addition to the place of
residence abroad, and Section 16 of this Law, Additional Address
of the Place of Residence, shall come into force concurrently
with amendments to the Declaration of Place of Residence Law.
3. Section 6, Paragraph two, Clause 8 of this Law which
provides for the competence of the Ministry of Health to ensure
the possibility of diaspora members to make voluntary
contributions in order to obtain the right to receive health care
services within the scope of the State mandatory health insurance
shall come into force concurrently with the relevant amendments
to the Health Care Financing Law.
4. [10 December 2020]
5. The application of Section 14, Clause 1 of this Law which
provides for the promotion of the participation of the citizens
of Latvia with voting rights in elections and national referendum
by creating polling stations the number of which is commensurate
to the number of voters, by facilitating the procedures by which
postal voting is performed, and providing for the possibility for
postal voting in local government elections, shall be started
from the day when the relevant amendments to the Law on the
Election of the Saeima, the Law on Elections of the
Republic City Council and Municipality Council, and the law On
National Referendum, Legislative Initiative and European
Citizens' Initiative come into force.
6. The application of Section 14, Clause 4 of this Law which
provides for ensuring that the impact assessment on diaspora is
included in the ex-ante evaluation (annotation) of laws
and regulation in respect of the laws shall be started form the
day when the relevant amendments to the Rules of Procedures of
the Saeima come into force.
7. Section 15, Paragraph two, Clause 1 of this Law which
provides for ensuring the possibility for diaspora members to
register their children in general and vocational education
institutions of Latvia in a timely manner shall come into force
concurrently with the relevant amendments to the Declaration of
Place of Residence Law.
8. Section 15, Paragraph three, Clause 2 of this Law which
provides for the determination of simplified procedures in
respect of diaspora members for equalisation and recognition of
the education, academic degrees, and vocational qualification,
also in regulated professions, acquired abroad, thus providing
for the possibility to work in a particular sector or higher
education institution in Latvia, shall come into force
concurrently with the relevant amendments to the law On the
Regulated Professions and the Recognition of Professional
Qualifications.
9. Section 15, Paragraph four of this Law which provides that,
when determining the rights of those diaspora members who have
returned to Latvia and request maternity, paternity, or parental
benefit, the time periods of social insurance contributions made
in the European Union states and European Economic Area countries
is to be taken into account, shall come into force concurrently
with the relevant amendments to the law On Maternity and Sickness
Insurance.
10. Section 15, Paragraph eight of this Law which provides
that for a remigrated diaspora member to be regarded as a
resident of Latvia for the purpose of taxation the pension
non-taxable minimum in the amount as specified in the relevant
foreign country is applied in respect of the taxation of the
pension income obtained abroad with the personal income tax shall
come into force concurrently with the relevant amendments to the
law On Personal Income Tax.
11. That laid down in Section 17 of this Law that the diaspora
policy is financed from the State budget funds by providing for
appropriate financing which may be planned in a long term and is
adjustable to the dynamics of numerical composition and
activities of diaspora shall be ensured not later than planning
the State budget for 2020.
12. The Cabinet shall, by 28 February 2019, prepare and submit
to the Saeima the necessary draft laws which provide
for:
1) promoting the representation of events related to diaspora
in the public service remit and the availability of public
electronic mass media programmes and services to diaspora;
2) the possibility for diaspora members to indicate also one
address in Latvia in addition to the address of the place of
residence abroad;
3) the possibility for every diaspora member to make voluntary
contributions in order to obtain the right to receive health care
services within the scope of the State mandatory health
insurance;
4) the preconditions on which and the procedures by which the
citizens of Latvian with voting right may participate in the
elections of the Saeima, the European Parliament, and
local governments, national referendum, and legislative
initiatives by postal voting;
5) ensuring admission of the children of diaspora members in
general and vocational education institutions before
remigration;
6) simplification of the procedures by which the education,
academic degrees, and professional qualification, also in
regulated professions, obtained abroad by diaspora members is
equalled and recognised, thus providing for the possibility to
work in a particular sector or higher education institutions in
Latvia;
7) the preconditions on which and the procedures by which the
remigrated diaspora members are entitled to receive maternity,
paternity, or parental benefit, taking into account the time
periods of social insurance contributions made in the European
Economic Area countries;
8) ensuring that requests of diaspora members for granting
social security services are examined and decisions are taken
within the same time periods as in respect of the permanent
inhabitants of Latvia if the necessary information from the
foreign social security institutions has been received;
9) the possibility for every diaspora member who has acquired
education or work experience abroad, also if he or she has served
his or her service in international organisations, to efficiently
participate in the activities of the State of Latvia and local
governments, and also to perform State civil service according to
his or her capacities, education, and qualification;
10) the possibility for every diaspora member to voluntarily
join to the State social insurance system in order to receive the
old-age pension;
11) ensuring that the pension non-taxable minimum is applied
to a remigrated diaspora member in such amount as specified in
the relevant foreign country;
12) ensuring that remigrated diaspora members may receive
assistance in solving issues of residential premises
(apartment).
The Law shall come into force on 1 January 2019.
The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 1 November
2018.
President R. Vējonis
Rīga, 14 November 2018
1 The Parliament of the Republic of
Latvia
Translation © 2021 Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre)