Text consolidated by Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre) with amending laws of:
23 September 1999 [shall
come into force from 19 October 1999];
23 November 2000 [shall come into force from 20 December
2000];
20 September 2001 [shall come into force from 19 October
2001];
6 December 2001 [shall come into force from 5 January
2002];
20 June 2002 [shall come into force from 19 July
2002];
24 October 2002 [shall come into force from 20 November
2002];
19 December 2002 [shall come into force from 1 January
2003];
29 May 2003 [shall come into force from 2 July
2003];
11 December 2003 [shall come into force from 7 January
2004];
22 April 2004 [shall come into force from 12 May
2004];
16 December 2004 [shall come into force from 1 Januray
2005];
16 June 2005 [shall come into force from 14 July
2005];
13 October 2005 [shall come into force from 21 October
2005];
10 November 2005 [shall come into force from 9 December
2005];
15 June 2006 [shall come into force from 1 October
2006];
7 June 2007 [shall come into force from 4 July
2007];
6 March 2008 [shall come into force from 9 April
2008];
13 November 2008 [shall come into force from 17 December
2008];
23 April 2014 (Constitutional Court Judgment) [shall come
into force from 28 April 2014].
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.
|
The Saeima1 has adopted and
the President has proclaimed the following law:
Border Guard Law
Chapter I
General Provisions
Section 1. Purpose of the Law
This Law determines the legal basis for the operation of, the
tasks, functions, and competence of the State Border Guard
(hereinafter - the Border Guard), and also the duties and rights
of the border guards.
[15 June 2006]
Section 2. The Border Guard
The Border Guard is a direct administration State institution,
under the supervision of the Ministry of the Interior. The Border
Guard is armed, and the functions thereof are to ensure the
inviolability of the State border and the prevention of illegal
migration.
[16 June 2005]
Section 3. Operational Principles of
the Border Guard
(1) The operations of the Border Guard shall be organised in
conformity with the law, humanism, human rights, transparency, a
single command structure, and based upon the assistance of the
inhabitants.
(2) The Border Guard shall protect the rights and lawful
interests of persons irrespective of their citizenship, social,
financial or other status, race or nationality, gender or age,
education or language, attitude towards religion, or political or
other opinions.
(3) The Border Guard shall ensure that the rights of a person
to move from one state to another state are observed.
(4) The Border Guard shall provide an opportunity for arrested
persons to exercise their rights to a legal defence.
5) [15 June 2006]
[15 June 2006]
Section 4. Border Guard Co-operation
with Other Authorities
(1) On issues of guarding and control of the State border, as
well as on issues, which are associated with the control of the
observance of the regulations regarding the entry, residence,
exit and transit of foreigners, and other issues within the
competence thereof, the Border Guard shall co-operate with other
State and local government authorities, merchants and
international organisations, unions or communities.
(2) State and local government authorities, as well as
merchants and their officials shall provide assistance to the
Border Guard in the performance of their duties.
[6 December 2001; 22 April 2004; 7
June 2007]
Section 5. Border Guard Professional
Liaison
The Border Guard is entitled to maintain professional liaison
with neighbouring states and other state competent services and,
within the scope of its competence, enter into agreements with
them, as well as to prepare harmonised draft international
agreements and to submit such to the Ministry of the
Interior.
[16 June 2005]
Section 5.1 Participation
of Border Guards in International Missions and Operations
(1) Border guards shall participate in international missions
and operations on the basis of such international organisation,
union or community resolutions, recommendations or requests with
which the Republic of Latvia has entered into an international
agreement.
(2) A decision regarding the participation of border guards in
international missions and operations shall be taken by the
Cabinet.
(3) The procedures by which border guards are sent to
participate in international missions and operations, the
conditions of the participation of border guards in such missions
and operations, as well as the procedures for financing thereof
shall be determined by the Cabinet.
[10 November 2005]
Section 6. Transparency of Border
Guard Operations
The Border Guard, in the interests of the service, both
directly and by means of the mass media, shall inform the State
and local government authorities, as well as the general public
regarding the results of its operations, while observing the
requirements of the Law on Official Secrets.
Section 6.1 Border
Guards
A border guard is an official of a Ministry of the Interior
system institution, who ensures the fulfilment of the tasks of
the Border Guard and to whom is granted a special service
rank.
[16 June 2005; 15 June 2006]
Chapter II
Border Guard Organisational Structure and Deployment
[16 June 2005]
Chapter III
Border Guard Tasks; Duties and Rights of Border Guards
Section 13. Border Guard Tasks
The tasks of the Border Guard are:
1) in accordance with the State Border Law of the Republic of
Latvia, to guard the State borders, border signs and other border
structures, and to prevent any attempts to change illegally the
location of the State border in a geographical area;
2) in co-operation with the National Armed Forces, to prevent
and repel armed attacks on the territory of Latvia, territorial
and inland waters, as well as air space, to prevent armed
provocations on the State borders and in cases of criminal
threats, to provide assistance to inhabitants in border
areas;
3) to carry out surveillance of the land territories, waters
and airspace adjacent to the border;
4) to not allow persons and means of transport to cross the
State border, or freight and other property to be moved across
the State border outside the locations provided for this purpose
or in any other illegal way, to detect and arrest violators of
State borders, as well as detect violators of border area, border
area zone, border control point and border crossing point
regimens;
5) to organise the work at border crossing points and,
together with the customs and Food and Veterinary Service
institutions, the work at border control points, to co-ordinate
the activity of the control services working at the border
control points;
6) jointly with customs institutions, to provide for
workplaces at border control points for other authorities and
private persons who conduct border crossing control on other
matters pursuant to law or provide services to persons crossing
the State border;
7) to carry out border control and allow persons, means of
transport, freight and other property to cross the border if the
documents granting the right to cross the State border have been
correctly drawn up, and the border guard, customs and other State
service control operations have been completed;
8) independently or jointly with customs institutions, to
prevent the importation into or transit through the territory of
Latvia of prohibited items for illegal movement across the State
border. To not allow the movement of goods or other items across
the State border, evading customs control;
9) to maintain the State border, border zone and the border
crossing points;
10) independently or jointly with international seaport,
airport, sea passenger and railroad station administrations, in
co-operation with customs institutions, police, the National
Armed Forces units and the relevant local governments, to ensure
and control the observance of the regimen of the State border,
border areas, border zones, border control points and border
crossing points;
101) to supervise the compliance with the
regulations regarding water traffic safety in internal waters in
seaports in which State border crossing points have been
determined and in internal waters having a determined State land
border of the Republic of Latvia in accordance with the
provisions of international law and international agreements
which are binding on the Republic of Latvia;
11) to provide to specially authorised State institutions the
necessary assistance for preservation of natural resources and
for controlling the observance of regulations on economic
activity, and for the protection of the environment against
pollution, the extinguishing of fires and the elimination of the
consequences of natural catastrophes in the border area;
12) to ensure that obligations binding on Latvia on issues
regarding the State border regimen provided for in international
agreements are implemented, and within the scope of its
competence, to regulate the incidents associated with violation
of the State border regimen;
13) to ensure prevention of violations of laws and other laws
and regulations related to border crossing;
14) within the scope of their competence, to examine
administrative violation matters and to impose administrative
sanctions;
15) to control how the regulations regarding the entry,
residence, exit and transit of foreigners in the territory of the
Republic of Latvia are observed, as well as within the scope of
their competence to perform the activities provided for in the
Asylum Law;
16) Within the scope of the competence specified in the
Criminal Procedure Law, to perform pre-trial investigations.
[20 September 2001; 6 December
2001; 20 June 2002; 13 October 2005; 7 June 2007; 6 March
2008]
Section 13.1 Resources of
the Border Guard in Performing Tasks at Sea
For the performance of tasks at sea, the Border Guard shall
utilise the technical resources, floating structures and aircraft
of the National Armed Forces according to the procedures
specified by the Cabinet.
[20 September 2001]
Section 14. Duties of the Border
Guards
(1) The duty of any border guard, on receiving information
regarding an occurrence that threatens the inviolability of the
border or is associated with the illegal crossing of it, or on
determining himself or herself of such an occurrence, shall be to
carry out all possible measures in order to prevent the
violation, to detect and arrest the persons who have committed
the violation, as well as to notify the nearest Border Guard unit
regarding the occurrence.
(2) Border guards shall fulfil their service duties in
accordance with relevant laws, Border Guard regulations, by-laws
and other laws and regulations, as well as the orders and
directives of supervisors.
(3) Border guards shall without objections execute the lawful
orders and directives of their immediate supervisor and
supervisors in higher-ranking positions. Knowingly carrying out
unlawful orders or a directive shall not discharge a border guard
from liability.
(4) Within the scope of his or her competence, the supervisor
shall act independently and take care that in the unit
subordinate to him or her, laws and regulations are observed and
orders are executed.
Section 15. Rights of Border
Guards
(1) Border guards in the whole border area, as well as the
border control points and the border crossing points have the
right:
1) to examine the documents of persons and control means of
transport and their freight, during the performance of their
service duty without limitations of movement;
2) for all persons crossing the State border, to examine
according to specified procedures personal identification
documents and make the necessary notations in them, as well as to
carry out inspections of all the means of transport crossing the
State border;
3) in accordance with procedures and within the terms set out
by law to arrest:
a) persons, who are suspected of the committing of such a
criminal offence the investigation of which is within the
competence of the Border Guard, as well as persons who have
committed administrative violations the examination of which is
within the competence of the Border Guard,
b) persons who have attempted to move or have moved across the
State border items prohibited to be imported into or exported out
of the Republic of Latvia by laws or other laws and regulations,
or otherwise have attempted to import or export goods and other
items, evading customs control,
c) persons or means of transport for which a search has been
declared and persons located in such means of transport;
(31) [6 March 2008];
4) in accordance with specified procedures, to remove and
transfer to customs institutions goods and other items that have
been found with persons crossing the State border while evading
customs control;
5) in accordance with specified procedures, to remove and
transfer to police institutions weapons, munitions, explosives,
narcotic, psychotropic and radioactive substances that have been
found with State border crossing persons who do not have relevant
permits;
6) to restrict or totally stop movement across the State
border in relation to natural or technogenic disasters and
particularly hazardous infectious diseases and to restrict or
totally stop the crossing of the State border at individual State
border crossing places due to technical reasons;
7) in prosecuting and arresting persons violating the border,
as well as in repelling armed attacks in the State territory, to
utilise the means of communication belonging to natural persons
and legal persons, as well as with the consent of the driver of
the means of transport, utilise the means of transport belonging
to natural persons and legal persons, compensating them the
losses caused;
8) to perform operational activity measures in order to
prevent and detect criminal offences and other violations of the
law;
9) in prosecuting persons violating the State border or
persons violating the regimen of the State border, border areas,
border zones, border control points or border crossing points, as
well as persons who reside illegally in the State, to enter the
premises or buildings that are the property of the State or local
government, or natural or legal persons.
10) to deny entry into the State to persons who cannot produce
valid travel documents;
11) in accordance with procedures prescribed by law, to remove
persons from the State who have entered Latvia or crossed the
State border without a valid travel document or a permit from the
relevant authority or have not observed prescribed
procedures;
12) upon performing the control of the observance of the
regulations regarding the entry, residence, exit and transit of
foreigners, and upon examining the veracity of information and
data provided by the foreigner and his or her inviter:
a) to invite to the premises of the Border Guard natural
persons or representatives of legal persons to receive
explanations regarding the purpose, place, time of the entry and
residence of the foreigner, and the provision of residence;
b) to request from the natural or legal person the
information, documents or copies thereof, which attest to the
veracity of information and data provided by the foreigner and
his or her inviter;
c) to visit and inspect the premises of State and local
government institutions, religious organisations, associations,
foundations, and merchants, places of work of undertakings
(organisational units in which the employers employ foreigners),
and also any other places in an undertaking that are accessible
to the employee in the course of work, within the working hours
determined by the institutions, organisations, merchants, and
undertakings without prior notification or receipt of permit
(also in the absence of the owner or his or her authorised
person);
d) to visit the premises and buildings owned by or used by the
natural persons, and also the legal persons not referred to in
Clause c) of this Paragraph, and with the permission of owners,
users, or their authorised persons to inspect the premises.
(11) In seaports in which State border crossing
points have been determined and in internal waters having a
determined State land border of the Republic of Latvia in
accordance with the provisions of international law and
international agreements which are binding on the Republic of
Latvia the border guards have the rights:
1) to examine personal identification documents of all persons
in accordance with the laws and regulations regarding water
traffic safety in internal waters and the laws and regulations
regarding the regime of the border area and borderland of the
Republic of Latvia;
2) to stop a recreation vessel or small-size floating unit and
to carry out an inspection if there is a reason to believe that
the driver has violated the regulations regarding water traffic
safety in internal waters;
3) to remove from driving of a recreation vessel or a
small-size floating unit a person:
a) if there is a reason to believe that such person is under
the influence of alcohol, narcotic, psychotropic, toxic or other
intoxicating substances. The detection of the influence of
alcohol, narcotic, psychotropic, toxic or other intoxicating
substances shall be carried out according to the procedures laid
down in laws and regulations;
b) who does not have documents which certify the registration
of the recreation vessel or a small-size floating unit (if the
relevant recreation vessel or a small-size floating unit needs to
be registered) or the licence to drive the recreation vessel or a
small-size floating unit (if such is necessary);
4) to convey the recreation vessel or a small-size floating
unit to the nearest quayside intended for recreation vessels or
small-size floating units or to the nearest Border Guard unit if
it has been determined that the driver of the recreation vessel
or a small-size floating unit has not complied with the
regulations regarding water traffic safety, and if aboard the
recreation vessel or a small-size floating unit there is no other
person who can drive the relevant recreation vessel or a
small-size floating unit.
(2) In cases when a search for persons violating the State
border is being carried out, border guards have the right to
operate outside the locations specified in Paragraph one of this
Section, co-operating, if necessary, with police and units of the
National Armed Forces.
(3) Border guards in performing service duties have the right
according to the procedures specified by Cabinet to be located on
the technical resources, floating structures and aircraft of the
National Armed Forces.
(4) In cases which are related with the control and
prophylaxis of the observance of regulations regarding the entry,
residence, exit and transit of foreigners, as well as the
performance of operational activity measures, the border guards
have the right to operate also outside the places referred to in
Paragraph one of this Section.
(41) The border guards have the right to guard,
transfer under the supervision of security guards and to hold
under temporary custody the arrested persons, and also to
transfer under the supervision of security guards in the time and
place necessary for the progress of criminal proceedings the
persons who have been arrested for criminal offences the
investigation of which is under the jurisdiction of the Border
Guard.
(5) In exceptional cases, if a person cannot fulfil the State
border crossing regulations, but the identity of such person has
been ascertained, the Chief of the Border Guard is entitled to
permit the referred to person to cross the State border if such
conforms to the norms of international law, the interests of the
Republic of Latvia or is associated with force majeure or
humanitarian considerations.
[20 September 2001; 6 December
2001; 11 December 2003; 16 June 2005; 7 June 2007; 6 March 2008;
13 November 2008]
Section 15.1 Rights of
the Border Guards to Place the Arrested Persons in a Temporary
Keeping Premise
(1) The border guards have the right to place the arrested
person in a temporary keeping premise (a specially equipped
premise where the arrested persons are placed and held under
guard).
(2) The arrested person may be placed in a temporary keeping
premise if:
1) his or her identity is not established;
2) there is a reasonable suspicion of a risk of absconding of
such person;
3) he or she does not subject him or herself to the lawful
requirements of border guards;
4) there is a reasonable suspicion that he or she may harm
himself or herself, border guards, other natural persons or
property;
5) he or she is a person for which a search has been
declared.
(3) Prior to placing in a temporary keeping premise the person
shall be searched by a border guard of the same sex. The person
to be searched shall be seen over visually, the objects present
at a person shall be examined, and the objects which may be used
to attack border guards or with which it is possible to do harm
to other natural persons or himself or herself shall be
taken.
(4) The procedures according to which the person is placed and
kept in a temporary keeping premise and the requirements for
arranging and equipping such place shall be determined by the
Cabinet.
[13 November 2008]
Section 16. Border Guard as an
Inquiry Institution
[13 October 2005]
Section 17. Use of Physical Force,
Special Devices, and Service Dogs
(1) Border guards, upon performing service duties, have the
right to use physical force, special devices, and also to use
service dogs:
1) to repel an attack on border guards and other persons;
2) to arrest persons who, with malicious intent, do not submit
to or resist border guards;
3) to restrain the detained and arrested persons if they do
not submit to or resist border guards when they are accommodated,
removed or transferred under the supervision of security guards,
or there is a reasonable suspicion that they may abscond or harm
people nearby or themselves;
4) to repel assault to buildings, separate premises and means
of transport that are guarded by border guards, as well as to
liberate these objects if they have been taken over by armed
persons;
5) to interrupt mass disorder and violations of public order
if they have been committed in a group of persons.
(2) Before using physical force or special devices, or service
dogs, a person must be warned thereof, except for the cases when
delay in using physical force or special devices, or service dogs
causes a direct threat to the health or life of the border guards
or may cause other serious consequences or when such a warning is
not possible in the specific situation.
(3) The type of use of physical force, special devices or
service dogs shall be determined by taking into account the
nature of the specific violation and individual characteristics
of a person. In using physical force, special devices or service
dogs, the damage caused thereby shall be restricted as much as
possible, as well as provision of first aid shall be ensured for
victims if it is necessary. If an injury is caused to a person or
he or she is dead as a result of the use of physical force or
special devices, or service dogs, a border guard shall
immediately notify the immediate supervisor who shall notify the
prosecutor's office regarding such fact.
(4) It is prohibited to use special wrestling techniques and
special devices (except for handcuffs and means of tying), as
well as to use service dogs against women, persons with visible
signs of disability and minors, except for the cases when their
actions threaten the life or health of other persons or when they
demonstrate armed resistance or conduct an armed attack.
(5) The types of special means and the procedures for use
shall be determined by the Cabinet.
[7 June 2007; 6 March 2008; 13
November 2008]
Section 18. Use of Firearms
(1) A purposeful shot shall be deemed to be use of a
firearm.
(2) Border guards have the right to keep and carry a
firearm.
(3) A border guard is entitled to use a firearm in order:
1) to repel an armed attack in the territory of Latvia or to
terminate armed resistance by attackers;
2) to arrest a person violating the State border, if there is
no other way of arresting the person;
3) to repel an attack and to terminate resistance, also an
attack and resistance by unarmed persons, if actual threats are
created to the life of the border guard or other persons and if
it is not possible to prevent such or if it is necessary to
prevent an attempt to obtain a firearm through violence;
4) to stop a means of transport, causing damage to it, if its
driver through his or her actions is causing actual threats to
the life or health of a border guard or other persons and does
not submit to a request by a border guard to stop the means of
transport and if there is no other way to arrest the driver;
(4) Before using a firearm, a warning that it will be used
must be given. If necessary, a warning shot may be given.
(5) A firearm may be used without a warning if the attack is
sudden or if weapons or any other type of mechanical means of
transport are used in the attack.
(6) A border guard has the right to use a firearm to give an
alarm signal or to summon help.
(7) It is prohibited to use a firearm:
1) against women, persons with visible signs of disability and
minors except in cases when their actions threaten the life or
health of other persons or when they demonstrate armed resistance
or conduct an armed attack; and
2) in cases when other persons may suffer as a result of its
use.
[6 December 2001; 7 June 2007]
Chapter IV
Border Guard Recruitment
[15 June 2006]
Chapter V
Awarding and Removing of Border Guard Service Ranks, Border Guard
Promotion in Service Rank
[15 June 2006]
Chapter VI
Appointment to Positions, Assessment, Transfer, Suspension,
Discharge from Position and Retirement from Service of Border
Guards
[15 June 2006]
Chapter VII
Wearing of Uniform
[15 June 2006]
Chapter VIII
Legal Protection and Operational Guarantees for Border
Guards
Section 41. Legal Protection of a
Border Guard
(1) A border guard is a representative of State authority, and
the lawful requirements put forward or orders given by him or her
in performing service duties are to be mandatorily implemented by
all persons. Disobeying the lawful requirements of a border guard
shall be punished.
(2) A border guard is under the protection of the State; the
life, health, dignity and honour of a border guard are protected
by the State.
(3) Defamation of a border guard, resistance to a border
guard, threats to the life or health of a border guard, and
actions that interfere with the execution of duty shall be
punished in accordance with procedures specified by laws.
(4) A border guard shall not be liable for material and
physical harm done within the scope of service authorisation to a
law-breaker who at the moment of arrest does not submit or
resists.
Section 42. Border Guard
Remuneration
[15 June 2006]
Section 43. Operational Guarantees
for a Border Guard
(1) A border guard shall not be bound by the orders and the
decisions of parties and other public and political organisations
and movements or their representatives.
(2) Interference with the activities of the border guards by
parties and other public and political organisations and
movements or their representatives is prohibited.
(3) Border guard actions during necessary self defence,
extreme necessity or justified professional risk situations shall
not be deemed a violation of the law.
(4) A border guard has the right to appeal in court within a
period of a month the decisions taken by officials of the Border
Guard or the Ministry of the Interior if the border guard
believes that such decisions restrict his or her rights or
authority or infringe upon his or her dignity without
grounds.
(5) To satisfy the need for culture and sport, border guards
may form associations and clubs, the activities of which are
regulated by the articles of association adopted and registered
in accordance with procedures specified by law.
6) [15 June 2006]
7) [15 June 2006]
[23 November 2000; 15 June
2006]
Section 44. Service and Employment
Rights of Border Guards
[15 June 2006]
Section 45. Leave
[15 June 2006]
Section 46. Social Guarantees for
Border Guards
[15 June 2006]
Section 46.1 Other Social
Guarantees for Border Guards
The border guard who in the interests of the service is
transferred to another populated area has the right to
exceptionally arrange for his or her child to have a place in a
pre-school educational institution
[6 March 2008]
Section 47. Right of a Border Guard
to a Dwelling
(1) The Border Guard has the right to purchase residential
buildings or separate apartments, as well as to build residential
buildings for the requirements of the border guards.
(2) A local government on the basis of a request from the
Border Guard may ensure a border guard, who in the interests of
the service is transferred to another populated area, with a
dwelling space close to the place of service.
3) [15 June 2006]
[24 October 2002; 15 June 2006]
Section 48. Right of Border Guards
to Use State and Local Government Means of Transport
[15 June 2006]
Section 49. Prohibitions for Border
Guards
(1) A border guard is prohibited from joining in trade unions,
organising strikes and participating in them.
(2) Border guards may not participate in political parties and
other political organisation and movement activities. For the
duration of their service they shall suspend their activities in
such.
(3) Immovable property belonging to border guards and property
under their administration may not be an obstacle or an
impediment to the performance of service duty or their transfer
from one unit to another.
(4) [15 June 2006]
[13 October 2005; 15 June 2006 / The words of
Paragraph one "joining in trade unions" have been
recognised as not corresponding to the Constitution of the
Republic of Latvia by the Judgment of the Constitutional Court of
23 April 2014, which entered into effect on 28 April
2014.]
Section 50. Rights of Retired Border
Guards and Compensation Provided For Them
[15 June 2006]
Section 51. Border Guard Service
Pensions
[15 June 2006]
Transitional Provisions
1. It is provided that the requirements set out in Section 7,
Paragraph one and Section 19, Paragraph, Paragraph one of this
Law may not be the basis for the discharge of border guards who
have been accepted into the service prior to this Law coming into
force, if they comply with other requirements set out in this
Law, the Law on Official Secrets and the Official Language
Law.
2. The Cabinet shall formulate by 31 December 1997 relevant
amendments to the laws and regulations of the Republic of
Latvia.
3. Persons who were recruited for service in the Border Guard
up to 1 July 2002, the length of service which gives the right to
a service pension and premium for service shall include 80 per
cent of the time worked in other institutions.
[20 June 2002]
4. The provisions of Section 42, Paragraph two of this Law
regarding supplements in the amount specified by the Cabinet for
border guards for whom service is directly associated with State
border control and guarding, shall come into force on 1 August
2003.
[29 May 2003]
5. By the term "komersants" [merchant] used in this Law shall
also be understood individual (family) undertakings, farms,
fishing undertakings, as well as other undertakings (companies)
registered in the Enterprise Register.
[22 April 2004]
6. Unpaid leave allowances for 2005 shall be paid out within
the scope of the State budget funds granted for this purpose.
[15 June 2006]
7. Persons who have been recruited for work in the State
Border Guard and hold positions of border guards shall continue
the work in accordance with the employment contract entered
into.
[15 June 2006]
This law shall come into force on 1 January 1998.
This Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 27 November
1997.
President G. Ulmanis
Rīga, 16 December 1997
1 The Parliament of the Republic of
Latvia
Translation © 2018 Valsts valodas centrs (State
Language Centre)