Honourable Minister of Defence!
Honourable Commander of the National Armed Forces!
Esteemed Commander of the National Armed Forces Staff Battalion!
Soldiers!
Distinguished guests!
I greet you all on Lāčplēsis Day! Today we not only commemorate and honour all those soldiers who fought and fell for our Latvia, but also express our gratitude to all of you – members of our armed forces, National Guard, and those serving in the justice and interior affairs systems, as well as everyone who is standing guard over our country, our Latvia today.
This is a day when, upon meeting a soldier, we greet them and say thank you. But these are also anxious times. Just last night, air-raid alerts sounded in many parts of Latvia. In many places, our armed forces personnel warned people of the danger and stood watch to protect Latvia. This is their everyday reality – the reality of these troubled times and of the troubled world in which we live.
I would like to address the soldiers of the Headquarters Battalion in particular. Thank you for the impressive performances you have given as part of the ceremonial drill display. But my thanks to you are even greater for the work you do every day. You are members of our Armed Forces and citizens of our country. Here, you are honoured and greeted by the people of Latvia, by citizens of other countries and by officials from many nations. But you are more than just the public face of our Armed Forces. In your day-to-day service, you also carry out real combat duties. There have been occasions this year when there were no soldiers on honour guard at the Freedom Monument or Riga Castle because you were away on exercises, because you are helping to guard our country's borders. That is why you, too, deserve our special thanks today.
I would also like to pay particular tribute to all those who have ever stood guard at this sacred symbol of our nation – the Freedom Monument – over the past 34 years, since Lāčplēsis Day on 11 November 1992. Looking at you, soldiers, and at everyone gathered here today, I am absolutely confident that our country is in safe hands. Whatever doubts or concerns we may sometimes have, we see determination, professionalism and the utmost patriotism.
May we all remain strong and full of fighting spirit!
God bless Latvia!
