Dear Co-patriots here in Riga and all over Latvia!

I sincerely greet all Latvia on the 88th anniversary since the proclamation of the independence of our country. Two eights almost like two signs of eternity have interwoven to celebrate the sovereignty of Latvia. Let these two eternities be as our wish to Latvia to exist eternally! To exist, to prosper, to thrive and blossom through generations and centuries!

This is already the eighth and also the last time I as the State President have had the opportunity to address all the people of Latvia on our national holiday. Moreover, I am doing it as the President who has served in the post longer than any of the predecessors.

During these years you and I, we have passed a long piece of road together and our fates have interwoven together in a common eight. History has given all of us this beautiful and precious gift – to be present and work along for the revival of Latvia as an independent and democratic republic, to be present and work along for its development and growth. To experience what so many of our predecessors only dreamed about - free Latvia that will no longer have to be a leaf borne by wind and thrown by history hurricanes from one cataclysm to another. Latvia is now able to plan its future years ahead and strive to transform any new challenge into a usable opportunity rather than a threatening monster.

Together we have done a lot and we have a reason to be proud. We have recovered the respect for the free and independent Latvia and along with that also respect for ourselves. Now Latvians can go to fight under the red-white-red flag rather than foreign ones and symbols. Latvians can now participate in international competitions under their own, Latvian, colours and after victories sing Latvian, rather than any other anthem. The representatives of Latvia are present in important international meetings as well as Latvia welcomes the most high-standing guests. In some days we will have a big historic opportunity – we will welcome the leaders of 25 friendly countries all at the same time! I am sure that the Latvian side will meet what is required from it and it would be a successful and significant event.

I see that for those who are standing here together with me at the Monument of Freedom the name of Latvia resounds with joy and pride in their hearts. I wish every inhabitant of Latvia to find a place for such a pride and such a joy in his heart. I wish every inhabitant to feel himself as a part of one community that concertedly as bees in a hive – honeycomb by honeycomb – build and create their common contribution. It is not a requirement that has been imposed outrageously from outside. That is not a duty to be perceived as a burden. Instead that is an elevating and exciting sense of belonging: you are not alone in the world, you belong to the community of your nation the common spirit of which is bringing you as if on wings.

Over these last eight years I have travelled all over Latvia from West to East and from South to North, doing it with a particular pleasure namely because I had been forbidden to do that for long years. I have met the people of Latvia – young and old, ill and healthy, well-off and those in difficulties. I have met Latvian people in rural homes and town flats, in cots and manors, culture centres, libraries, schools, museums and municipalities. We have met both in big and small holidays as well as on routine week days; we have met in summers, autumns, winters and springs. Like in the symbols of strength woven in the Lielvarde belt I have felt woven in Latvian people the belief in their strength, hope for a better future and love not only to the land under their feet, but also to Latvia as a state. I have met resolution opposite to giving up, working spirit in spite of difficulties, following higher values in spite of those who are ready to violate them.

In the 15 years that have passed since the restoration of independence we have recovered the main what we have wished for – the freedom, security and independence of Latvia. At the same time we have also discovered how high the price of freedom can be. Freedom means not only recovered rights, but also a recovered sense of responsibility. Freedom means an opportunity and willingness to assume responsibility for one’s own actions with all the consequences involved. A free country needs the people who are themselves internally free - proud without arrogance, confident of their own human value, confident of their ability and their mental values.

A free country is a community of citizens where each of its members has his own rights and own duties, however all of them are mutually connected with innumerable ties of mutual impressions. The prospering of a state can never be a project of one person, one party, one grouping or even one nationality. Everybody must participate in it, everybody with his own ability and within his sphere of responsibility. The question is then to each of us – have I done everything in my powers for the benefit of myself and for the benefit of Latvia?

The freedom regained after 50 years of oppression for Latvia has meant living under the sign of constant changes. The changes in themselves can be exciting, inspiring and elevating as it could obviously be seen in the dizziness of the awakening period achievements, however changes can also be sufficiently heavy, overwhelming and even painful. However, by assessing the 15 year balance justly and impartially and looking on the country a whole, I do not have the slightest doubt that Latvia has experienced and is continuing to experience an admirably rapid growth, progress and development according to all standards accepted in the world. We are not and must not be either weak or underdeveloped. We are rapidly going ahead and will continue to do that!

That is now past when Latvia was as the third son in the beginning of fairy tales – the one who is always left empty-handed and humiliated by the elder and stronger brothers. Now Latvia is as the third son at the conclusion of fairy tales – the one who has won the princess and along with her the rule over the kingdom. It remains just to guard his dear princess – the recovered freedom – and wisely rule over the country.

To rule wisely over the people’s own country – it is not as simple as it is told in fairy tales. In the real life, not only in fairy tales, we are constantly stalked by the same multi-headed dragons, the same devils and pests that feed on the bad thoughts, words and deeds of our community. And yes – as soon as one dragon’s head is cut, three ones grow instead immediately, however that does not mean that one must give the fight up and lay down behind the stove with the hope that somebody else will do everything necessary instead of him. Vice versa, one must take to work himself without giving excuses that nothing can be changed, that things are what they are and nothing can be done about it. The seemingly impossible can also be changed. Resolution and ideas gain supporters and companions; for indifference and apathy they are lost.

Latvia that belongs to all of us is too small to be let in the wide roads of the world. It needs us, it needs us all together with the willingness to take care for it, love it and respect it. We can be proud of its brilliance, we do not reprimand it the faults, but rather take care for preventing them. We, the sons and daughters of Latvia are confreres in fate and co-walkers of a common road. We have common pain and hopes, we have common joys. One tongue, one soul, one future ours!

God, bless Latvia!