historical memory – Minority database on Latvia

National Alliance: a profile

As at January 2020, the National Alliance is a co-ruling party with two portfolios in the cabinet and the chair’s position in the Parliament, Ms Inara Mūrniece. It has two MEPs (ECR group) from 8 Latvian ones and 12 MPs from 100. The current head of state, Mr Egils Levits, was proposed as a candidate … Continue reading

ECJ judgment in the case C-622/17 (excerpt), 2019

[..] 79. In its observations before the Court, the LRTK stated that the decision of 18 May 2016 had been taken on the ground that a programme broadcast on the channel NTV Mir Lithuania contained false information which incited hostility and hatred based on nationality against the Baltic countries concerning the collaboration of Lithuanians and … Continue reading

2018 Report on International Religious Freedom

Executive Summary The constitution provides every person the right to “freedom of thought, conscience, and religion,” and specifies the separation of church and state. By law, eight “traditional” religious groups receive rights and privileges other groups do not. Three new religious groups registered during the year. Pursuant to a Supreme Court ruling in April, religious groups registered in … Continue reading

HCNM statement to the 1229th Meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council (excerpt), 2019

During my first visit to Latvia in my current capacity, which took place in March, I engaged with a broad range of interlocutors both in Riga as well as in Daugavpils; an area with a sizeable concentration of minorities in the south-east of the country. On the matter of citizenship, I took note of a … Continue reading

Regarding the situation with the glorification of Nazism… (excerpt), 2019

Latvia In 2018-2019 the Latvian authorities continued to pursue a consistent policy of historical revisionism, justification and glorification of former SS men and their accomplices, rehabilitation of Nazi criminals. Glorification of Latvian Waffen-SS legionnaires and attempts to present Hitler’s henchmen as “freedom fighters” remain one of the key elements of the evidence base behind the … Continue reading