President of Latvia Egils Levits has sent Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee his comments on the changes in the Law on public holidays, remembrance days and national holidays proposed by the following members of the Saeima: Artuss Kaimiņš, Juris Jurašs, Marija Golubeva, Māra Možvillo, Arvils Ašeradens and Ritvars Jansons.
President of Latvia expresses his support for the well-prepared legislative initiative, which offers to follow President’s recommendation on designating 17 March as the national resistance movement day and 15 October as the official language day.
‘MPs have had enough time to examine the proposals. Legislature now must make the political decision to add national resistance movement day (17 March) and official language day (15 October) to public holiday calendar,’ says the letter of the President.
President Levits hopes that Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee will be able to successfully review the proposals on the bill and will make sure that this law is adopted by the parliament. This law is vital for our collective memory and better public awareness about the constitutional foundations of our state.
According to President Levits, 17 March is the appropriate date for the national resistance movement day. ‘There is a very powerful symbolism in 17 March. It is the day when we can honour those who opposed both occupying powers – the Soviet and Nazi totalitarian regimes. 17 March also represents both the armed resistance with weapons and non-violent protests. It is about firm belief in Latvia. I do not think we have any other dates that would carry such resounding symbolic meaning. A date, which would offer universally and comprehensively the same representation of the national resistance movement,’ indicates the letter of President Levits.
Although some have criticised the idea of making 17 March the common national resistance movement day, President of Latvia reminds the parliament that the civic society has been honouring the national resistance movement on this day for a number of years now and this tradition is continuously supported and growing with every year. President has also sent Saeima Committee a letter from Latvian National Partisans’ Association, Club of Latvian Generals, Foundation ‘Namejs’, Latvian Officers Association and Latvian Riflemen Association, which supports the idea of designating the 17 March as the National Resistance Day.
President’s letter urges Saeima to support remembrance of groups and individuals associated with the national resistance movement on other dates too. ‘Such wide-spread remembrance of the members of national resistance in various locations across Latvia would bring back the collective memories into the conscience of the people and remind how our ancestors resisted aggressors at different periods of history when Latvia was not free. It would also strengthen our national spirit today,’ underlines President in his letter.
President also expressed his pleasure about the Official Language Day on 15 October becoming a positive platform for the strengthening of the positions of Latvian language as the only official language in Latvia and its further development. Official Language Day would be another opportunity to spread the awareness and promote the use of Latvian language as one the main constitutional values of our state and nation. According to the President, Official Language Day would be a meaningful contribution to a future tradition of celebrating the official language across the society.