Participation of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in International Operations
Unofficial translation
This Law has been adopted by the Saeima on 16 February 1995
Published: Vēstnesis (Messenger) No 30 on 25 February 1995
Contains amendments proclaimed till 8 February 2002
Amendments of:
24.01.1996 Law (L.V., 1 February, No.18/19; Ziņotājs (Informer), 1996, No.6)
08.03.2001 Law (L.V., 21 March, No.46; Ziņotājs (Informer), 2001, No.8)
31.01.2002 Law (L.V., 8 February., No.22; Ziņotājs (Informer), 2002, No.5)
If a whole or part of a section has been amended, the date of the amending law appears in square brackets at the end of the section.
Section 1. International Operations and Participation in Them
Section 2. Authorisation of the Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia
Section 3. Establishment of Joint Military Units
Section 4. Number of Military Persons Participating in International Operations
Section 5. Taking of a Decision on Participation of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in International Operations
Section 6. Establishment of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia for Participation in International Operations; Financing and Preparation of Such Units
Section 7. Joint Military Training of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia and Units of Foreign Armies in the Territory of the Republic of Latvia
Section 8. Participation of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in Joint Military Training Abroad
Section 9. Taking of a Decision on Joint Military Training of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in the Territory of Latvia and Abroad
Section 10. Social Guarantees for Military Persons of Units that Participate in International Operations
Section 11. Individual and Collective Self-defence
Transitional Provision
Section 1. International Operations and Participation in Them
(1) The following shall be considered to be international operations:
1) international peacekeeping operations, the purpose of which is to re-establish and maintain peace in conflict zones and in which the personnel engaged does not have the right to participate in hostilities, except in cases when it is necessary for the purposes of self-defence;
2) international peacekeeping operations, the purpose of which is to re-establish and maintain peace in conflict zones and in which the personnel engaged have the right to participate in hostilities;
3) international rescue operations, the purpose of which is to eliminate the consequences of natural disasters, evacuate civilians from dangerous locations or perform activities of similar nature;
4) international humanitarian operations, the purpose of which is to render assistance to civilians who have suffered as a result of hostilities or other extreme circumstances;
5) international military operations which aim is to exercise the inherent rights of the United Nations member states to collective self-defence which are fixed in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter.
(2) Units of the National Armed Forces shall participate, in compliance with the statutes of the United Nations Charter and the documents of the European Security and Co-operation Organisation, in international operations on the basis of a resolution, recommendation or request of such international organisations of which the Republic of Latvia is a member state or with which the Republic of Latvia co-operates.
[24 January 1996, January 31 2002]
Section 2. Authorisation of the Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia
Units of the National Armed Forces shall participate, in compliance with the statutes of the United Nations Charter and the documents of the European Security and Co-operation Organisation, in international operations on the basis of a resolution, recommendation or request of such international organisations of which the Republic of Latvia is a member state or with which the Republic of Latvia co-operates, or on the basis of a request of member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation or member state of the European Union.
[January 31, 2002]
Section 3. Establishment of Joint Military Units
The Republic of Latvia may establish joint military units with the Western European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, as well as with other states.
Section 4. Number of Military Persons Participating in International Operations
[excluded by Law on March 8, 2001]
Section 5. Taking of a Decision on Participation of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in International Operations
(1) Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia may be assigned, in accordance with a decision of the Saeima, to the supervision of the international organisation or state which is leading the international operation - for temporary performance of international operations, in accordance with the regulations determined by the decision of the Saeima.
(2) The decision on the participation of the units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in international rescue operations and international humanitarian operations shall be taken by the Cabinet.
(3) If the provisions regarding the utilisation of units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia referred to in Section 1, Paragraph two and Section 2 of this Law are violated, as well as in cases when it is necessary to ensure the interests of the State of Latvia, such units may be withdrawn at any time by a decision of the Saeima or the Cabinet.
[24 January 1996, January 31 2002]
Section 6. Establishment of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia for Participation in International Operations; Financing and Preparation of Such Units
Procedures by which units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia, that are to participate in international operations shall be established, financed and prepared, shall be determined by the Cabinet.
Section 7. Joint Military Training of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia and Units of Foreign Armies in the Territory of the Republic of Latvia
(1) In accordance with the provisions of Section 2 of this Law and on the basis of documents regarding the establishment of joint military units or on the basis of separate agreements which have been approved by the Saeima, joint military training of units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia and units of foreign armies may be organised in the territory of the Republic of Latvia.
(2) [excluded by Law on March 8 2001]
Section 8. Participation of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in Joint Military Training Abroad
Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia may be sent for joint military training that is organised abroad by the organisations and states referred to in Section 3 of this Law.
Section 9. Taking of a Decision on Joint Military Training of Units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in the Territory of Latvia and Abroad
The decision on participation of units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in joint military training in the territory of Latvia or abroad shall be taken by the Cabinet, in compliance with the provisions of Section 7 of this Law. The decision on participation of units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in joint military training in the territory of Latvia shall be taken by the Minister of Defence (after conforming with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Interior), if the number of foreign military personnel taking part in the exercise does not exceed 500.
[March 8 2002]
Section 10. Social Guarantees for Military Persons of Units that Participate in International Operations
Social guarantees to the persons of such units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia that participate in international operations shall be ensured in accordance with international agreements binding on the Republic of Latvia and the laws of the Republic of Latvia, as well as in accordance with individual agreements regarding rank and file service and active military service in a unit of the National Armed Forces of Latvia.
Section 11. Individual and Collective Self-defence
The statutes of the United Nations Charter and the provisions of this Law do not restrict the right of the Republic of Latvia to utilise the units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia referred to in this Law for the purpose of individual and collective self-defence.
Transitional Provision
It shall be prescribed that, until the time of the coming into force of the amendments to the Law On State Defence that provide for the right of the Cabinet to decide on the participation of units of the National Armed Forces of Latvia in international rescue operations and international humanitarian operations, a decision regarding such participation shall be taken by the Saeima.
President G. Ulmanis
Riga, 25 February 1995
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