Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre) with amending laws of:
13 January 2022 [shall come
into force on 10 February 2022].
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 Saeima1 has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:
Law on the National Defence
Training and the Youth Guard
Chapter I
General Provisions
Section 1. Purpose of the Law
The purpose of this Law is to create a possibility for a child
and a young person to acquire age-appropriate knowledge, skills
and competences in the national defence by undergoing the
national defence training or working in the Youth Guard.
Section 2. Cadet Force Centre
(1) The Cadet Force Centre shall organise the national defence
training for children and young people and implement the work of
the Youth Guard. Public and local government institutions shall
provide support to the Cadet Force Centre for the achievement of
the objectives referred to in Section 1 of this Law.
(2) The Cadet Force Centre is a direct administration
authority under subordination of the Minister for Defence.
(3) The Cadet Force Centre shall have the following
functions:
1) educate youth in the field of national defence;
2) promote civic awareness and patriotism in youth;
3) implement cooperation with associations, foundations, and
youth organisations in the issues related to the organisation of
the national defence training and the Youth Guard movement.
(4) The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for ensuring
safety in the classes and activities organised by the Cadet Force
Centre.
[13 January 2022]
Chapter II
National Defence Training
Section 3. National Defence
Training
(1) National defence training shall constitute a subject in
secondary education programmes. The State general secondary
education standard shall determine the content of the national
defence training.
(2) The knowledge, skills, and values acquired in the national
defence training shall be supplemented by mastering the interest
education programme which is implemented in national defence
training camps. The Minister for Defence shall approve this
content of the education programme and the programme shall not be
licensed in a local government.
(3) The Cadet Force Centre may delegate the acquisition of
topics of civic participation included in the national defence
training to associations and foundations.
Section 4. Acquisition of the
Subject of National Defence Training
(1) Acquisition of the subject of national defence training
shall be compulsory in secondary education programmes. The
subject of national defence training shall be acquired within two
consecutive academic years in general secondary education,
vocational secondary education, and professional education
institutions. Partial acquisition of the subject of national
defence training shall be implemented in the forms of acquisition
of education such as extramural studies and distance
learning.
(2) A non-commissioned officer of youth guards shall adapt the
content of teaching and teaching activity individually to
educatees who due to their religious or philosophical beliefs or
for other objective reasons may not acquire part of the subject
of national defence training by ensuring that such educatees
acquire other topics of the subject of national defence
training.
Section 5. National Defence Training
Camps
(1) Participation in national defence training camps shall be
voluntary. The Cabinet shall determine the procedures for the
organisation and operation of camps.
(2) The Cadet Force Centre shall enter into a contract with an
educatee or a legal representative of a minor educatee prior to
participation in the camp.
(3) During the camp an educatee may wear the uniform of a
youth guard and inventory may be issued thereto. The Director of
the Youth Guard shall determine the inventory, the procedures for
issuing it, and the procedures for wearing the uniform.
(4) Educatees who participate in the camp have the right to
receive paid health care. The Cabinet shall determine the types,
amount of paid health care services, conditions for receipt, and
the procedures for the payment thereof.
(5) The Ministry of Defence shall gather on an annual basis
and publish on its website before 1 April of the next year the
information on the number of participants in the national defence
training camp in the previous year and the number of participants
who have joined professional service of the National Armed
Forces, who have been included into the National Armed Forces'
reserve, or who have joined the National Guard in the previous
year.
Section 6. Education and
Professional Qualification Necessary for the Implementation of
the Subject of National Defence Training
(1) A non-commissioned officer of youth guards is entitled to
implement the subject of national defence training.
(2) A professional service soldier, national guardsman,
reserve soldier or Latvian citizen who performs service in
institutions of the system of the Ministry of the Interior or in
a municipal police may be a non-commissioned officer of youth
guards the official duties of which include the implementation of
the subject of national defence training. A non-commissioned
officer of youth guards shall correspond to the following
education and qualification requirements:
1) he or she has acquired or acquires higher education and
professional qualification of a teacher;
2) he or she corresponds to the requirements laid down in
Section 72, Paragraphs five and six of the Law on the Protection
of the Children's Rights and has also acquired and supplements
the specific knowledge in the field of the protection of the
rights of the child;
3) he or she has completed or completes the courses determined
by the Minister for Defence which are necessary for the
implementation of the subject of national defence training;
4) he or she corresponds to the requirements laid down by the
Minister for Defence for the state of health and physical
preparedness.
(3) If a non-commissioned officer of youth guards the official
duties of which include implementation of the subject of national
defence training has reached the maximum age specified for the
service in the National Guard or the National Armed Forces'
reserve or 60 years if he or she performs service in institutions
of the system of the Ministry of the Interior or in a municipal
police but corresponds to other requirements laid down for the
position of a non-commissioned officer of youth guards, including
the requirements for the state of health and physical
preparedness, the Director of the Cadet Force Centre may, taking
into account the need for the performance of official duties,
extend the time period until which the non-commissioned officer
of youth guards holds the position.
(4) Only a person who has undergone basic military training
may participate in the study module for the implementation of the
national defence training in a higher education institution.
[13 January 2020 / The new wording of the
introductory part of Paragraph two shall come into force on 1
September 2022. See Paragraph 6 of Transitional
Provisions]
Section 7. Provision of the Subject
of National Defence Training
(1) The Cadet Force Centre shall provide the training aid
necessary for the implementation of the subject of national
defence training.
(2) A founder of an educational institution shall provide free
of charge a classroom and a room for the storage of materials and
technical facilities necessary for the implementation of the
subject of national defence training.
(3) The Cadet Force Centre may provide educatees with catering
on training days when only field classes take place.
[13 January 2022]
Chapter III
Youth Guard
Section 8. Concept of the Youth
Guard
The Youth Guard is a movement in which children and young
people voluntarily master the interest education programme for
youth guards.
Section 9. Attributes of the Youth
Guard
(1) The Youth Guard shall have its flag, emblem, and any other
attributes.
(2) The motto of the Youth Guard shall be "Augsim
Latvijai!" [We Grow for Latvia!].
(3) The Director of the Cadet Force Centre shall lay down the
procedures for using attributes of the National Guard.
Section 10. Interest Education
Programme for Youth Guards
The Director of the Cadet Force Centre shall approve the
interest education programme for youth guards after coordination
thereof with the Ministry of Defence and it shall not be licensed
in a local government.
Section 11. Educational Process
within the Youth Guard
(1) Educational process shall be implemented in units of youth
guards in appropriate age groups.
(2) The Director of the Cadet Force Centre shall determine the
division of the units of youth guards.
(3) A non-commissioned officer of youth guards shall be in
charge of a unit of youth guards and ensure that interest
education of youth guards is implemented.
(4) If the Cadet Force Centre has entered into a cooperation
agreement with a local government or a founder of educational
institution, the local government or founder of educational
institution shall provide the support specified in the respective
agreement to implement the interest education programme for youth
guards. The local government or founder of the educational
institution shall provide the rooms necessary for the
implementation of the programme free of charge.
Section 12. Education and
Professional Qualification Necessary for the Implementation of
the Interest Education Programme for Youth Guards
(1) A non-commissioned officer of youth guards is entitled to
implement the interest education programme for youth guards.
(2) A professional service soldier, national guardsman,
reserve soldier or Latvian citizen who performs service in
institutions of the system of the Ministry of the Interior or in
a municipal police may be a non-commissioned officer of youth
guards the official duties of which include the implementation of
the interest education programme for youth guards. A
non-commissioned officer of youth guards shall correspond to the
following education and qualification requirements:
1) he or she has acquired or acquires higher education and
professional qualification of a teacher;
2) he or she corresponds to the requirements laid down in
Section 72, Paragraphs five and six of the Law on the Protection
of the Children's Rights and has also acquired and supplements
the specific knowledge in the field of the protection of the
rights of the child;
3) he or she has completed or completes the courses determined
by the Minister for Defence which are necessary for the
implementation of the interest education programme for youth
guards;
4) he or she corresponds to the requirements laid down by the
Minister for Defence for the state of health and physical
preparedness.
(3) If a non-commissioned officer of youth guards has reached
the maximum age specified for the service in the National Guard
or the National Armed Forces' reserve or 60 years if he or she
performs service in institutions of the system of the Ministry of
the Interior or in a municipal police but corresponds to other
requirements laid down for the position of a non-commissioned
officer of youth guards, including the requirements for the state
of health and physical preparedness, the Director of the Cadet
Force Centre may, taking into account the need for the
performance of official duties, extend the time period until
which the non-commissioned officer of youth guards holds the
position.
[13 January 2020 / Paragraph two, Clause 1 and the
new wording of the introductory part of Paragraph two shall come
into force on 1 September 2022. See Paragraphs 1 and 6 of
Transitional Provisions]
Section 13. Self-governance Body of
Youth Guards
(1) Youth guards shall elect a self-governance body of youth
guards from amongst themselves which represents interests of
youth guards, promotes creation of community life and efficiency
of teaching activity.
(2) The self-governance body of youth guards has the right to
request and obtain information from the Director of the Cadet
Force Centre in issues related to interests of youth guards and
also the right to put forward suggestions and proposals to the
Director of the Cadet Force Centre or the Ministry of
Defence.
(3) The composition and activities of the self-governance body
of youth guards shall be determined in the by-laws of the
self-governance body of youth guards which is approved by the
Director of the Cadet Force Centre.
Section 14. Assistant
Non-commissioned Officers of Youth Guards
(1) A youth guard, who is at least 16 years old and, while
being involved in the interest education programme for youth
guards, has reached the level of preparedness determined by the
Director of the Cadet Force Centre, as an assistant
non-commissioned officer of youth guards may provide support to
the implementation of the interest education programme in the
National Guard or to the implementation of the national defence
training under authority and supervision of a non-commissioned
officer of youth guards.
(2) If a youth guard acts as an assistant non-commissioned
officer of youth guards, he or she may work in the Youth Guard
until acquisition of secondary education or until the moment he
or she has reached the age of 21 years, whichever comes
first.
Section 15. Duties of Youth
Guards
Youth guards shall have the following duties:
1) participate in classes and activities according to the
interest education programme for youth guards;
2) treat the issued uniform and inventory with care, maintain
them in order, comply with the procedures for wearing the
uniform, including not to wear the uniform or elements thereof
outside classes and activities of the Youth Guard without
coordination thereof with a non-commissioned officer of youth
guards;
3) follow the standards and code of conduct of youth
guards;
4) follow safety rules.
Section 16. Admission to the Youth
Guard
(1) Children from the age of 10 years who acquire primary
education and young people who have acquired primary education
may be admitted to the Youth Guard.
(2) A person who can pose a threat to his or her life, health,
or safety or life, health, or safety of other persons during
classes and events of the Youth Guard or whose membership is not
possible for other objective and unavoidable reasons may not be
admitted to the Youth Guard. The Director of the Cadet Force
Centre or an authorised person thereof may take the decision to
refuse admission to the Youth Guard.
(3) A child or a young person shall become a youth guard after
entering into a contract for membership in the Youth Guard and
giving an oath of a youth guard. The contract for membership in
the Youth Guard shall be entered into with a legal representative
of a minor child or young person, or a young person himself or
herself if he or she has reached the legal age. The Director of
the Cadet Force Centre shall determine the content and term of
the contract, and also lay down the procedures for the extension
of the term.
(4) The Director of the Cadet Force Centre shall lay down the
procedures for admission to the Youth Guard.
(5) Youth guards shall give the following oath:
"I, a youth guard of the Republic of Latvia, solemnly swear to
spare no effort and mind for creating a better life for the sake
of Latvia and its people. I swear to fulfil duties of a youth
guard conscientiously."
Section 17. Termination of the
Contract for Membership in the Youth Guard
(1) The contract for membership in the Youth Guard may be
terminated early at any time by agreement of the parties.
(2) The contract may be terminated unilaterally by a youth
guard who has reached the legal age or a lawful representative of
a youth guard by informing a non-commissioned officer of youth
guards thereof.
(3) The contract for membership in the Youth Guard shall be
terminated if a youth guard has reached the age of 21 years,
started to acquire secondary education (except for the case where
a youth guard acts as an assistant non-commissioned officer of
youth guards), commenced service in the National Armed Forces or
the National Guard, or a national guard cannot participate in
classes and activities of the Youth Guard for objective and
unavoidable reasons.
(4) The contract for membership in the Youth Guard shall be
terminated early by the Cadet Force Centre if a youth guard:
1) has failed to attend classes and activities of the Youth
Guard for more than three months without due cause;
2) poses or may pose a threat to his or her life, health, or
safety, or life, health, or safety of other persons;
3) fails to perform any other duties of youth guards specified
in this Law.
Section 18. Uniforms and
Inventory
(1) The Director of the Cadet Force Centre shall determine the
uniform of a youth guard and an employee of the Cadet Force
Centre, the identifying insignia of the Youth Guard, and the
procedures for use thereof. The uniform of a youth guard and an
employee of the Cadet Force Centre may be made of the fabric the
pattern of which is identical to that of the uniform of a
soldier.
(2) The Cadet Force Centre shall issue the uniform, the
identifying insignia of the Youth Guard, and the inventory.
(3) The Director of the Cadet Force Centre shall determine the
inventory to be issued to a youth guard, an employee of the Cadet
Force Centre, and a soldier transferred to the Cadet Force Centre
and lay down the procedures for issuing thereof.
Section 19. Safety in Classes and
Activities of the Youth Guard
[13 January 2022]
Section 20. Health Care of Youth
Guards
Youth guards have the right to receive paid health care. The
Cabinet shall determine the types, amount of paid health care
services, conditions for receipt, and the procedures for the
payment thereof.
Transitional Provisions
1. Section 12, Paragraph two, Clause 1 of this Law shall come
into force on 1 September 2022.
[13 January 2022]
2. Section 4, Paragraph one of this Law shall come into force
on 1 September 2024. Until 31 August 2024 the national defence
training in the secondary education programme shall be
implemented as a specialised course in the field of health,
safety and physical activity training.
3. The Cabinet shall, by 28 February 2021, issue the
regulations referred to in Section 5, Paragraphs one and four and
also Section 20 of this Law.
[13 January 2022]
4. Section 17, Paragraph three of this Law shall come into
force on 1 September 2024.
5. The Cabinet shall, by 1 April 2022, issue the regulations
referred to in Section 2, Paragraph four of this Law.
[13 January 2022]
6. The requirement laid down in Section 6, Paragraph two and
the introductory part of Section 12, Paragraph two of this Law
that a professional service soldier, national guardsman, reserve
soldier or Latvian citizen who performs service in institutions
of the system of the Ministry of the Interior or in a municipal
police may be a non-commissioned officer of youth guards shall
come into force on 1 September 2022. A person who performs the
duties of a non-commissioned officer of youth guards until 1
September 2022 but does not correspond to the requirement laid
down in Section 6, Paragraph two and the introductory part of
Section 12, Paragraph two of this Law is entitled to continue to
perform the duties of a non-commissioned officer of youth guards
not longer than until 1 September 2027.
[13 January 2022]
The Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 3 December
2020.
President E. Levits
Rīga, 22 December 2020
1 The Parliament of the Republic of
Latvia
Translation © 2023 Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre)