Declaration on Latvian Legionnaires in World War II (Latvian: Deklarācija par latviešu leģionāriem Otrajā pasaules karā) was adopted by the sixth Saeima in its second-to-last meeting on October 29, 1998. With Saeima composed of 100 MPs, 50 votes were cast in favour, 8 against. The rapporteur MP, Jānis Mauliņš, said before the vote, that "this decision will be our position towards our soldiers who truly fought for the independence of Latvia".
The declaration was answered with criticism by Russia's State Duma and by its foreign ministry.
In 2007, a draft of another declaration, revoking the 1998 declaration, was submitted to the Saeima. It was rejected, by 63 votes to 18.
In 2011, members of the Saeima from the National Alliance filed a question to the prime minister asking how the resolutive part of the declaration - "the Latvian government is obliged to do the following: 1) demand the occupying countries and their successors in title to observe international law and pay Latvian citizens, their family members and heirs compensation for losses incurred as a result of illegal impressment into the armies of the occupying countries; 2) prevent insults against the honour and dignity of Latvian soldiers in Latvia and abroad." - gets implemented.
References
- Juris Tihonovs (30 October 1998). "Pieņem deklarāciju par leģionāriem" (in Latvian). Diena. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
- Latvijas Republikas 6.Saeimas rudens sesijas četrpadsmitā sēde 1998.gada 29.oktobrī(in Latvian)
- Обращение Государственной Думы Федерального Собрания Российской Федерации "К Сейму Латвийской Республики" Archived 2016-09-24 at the Wayback Machine(in Russian)
- ЗАЯВЛЕНИЕ ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛЯ МИД РОССИИ 3 ноября(in Russian)
- Par lēmuma projekta ar dok. nr.628 nodošanu komisijām(in Latvian)
- Deputātu jautājums Nr. 14/J10(in Latvian)
External links
- Original text of the declaration(in Latvian)
- English translation Archived 2016-08-15 at the Wayback Machine