Address by Ināra Mūrniece, Speaker of the Saeima,
at the ceremonial sitting of the Saeima in honour of the
101st Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic of Latvia
on 18 November 2019
Honourable President of Latvia,
Honourable Prime Minister,
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Ministers, Excellencies,
Dear fellow compatriots,
On 18 November one hundred years ago, during the Latvian War of Independence, the dramatic poem Daugava by the great Latvian author Rainis premiered on the stage of the Latvian National Theatre. The book had already been published in September, and soldiers read it at the front and at their moments of leisure. The book inspired and empowered them. Some commanders even said that Daugava outweighed the fighting power of an entire regiment.
‘We want our own Latvian soul!
We want our own Latvian tongue!
We want our own Latvian land!”
We want freedom!
We want to live in liberty!
And we will!’
Daugava is one of the most striking poetic works professing the goal of the people, namely, the State of Latvia. This goal was a source of inspiration during the Latvian War of Independence and has continued to inspire us ever since.
The War of Independence showed the world how important the newly established state is for Latvians, who had to confront the Red Army and the Bolsheviks, as well as Russian and German mercenary armies.
The Latvian Army, created in the middle of 1919, prepared for battle. Students, schoolboys, townsmen and farmers enlisted in the army. An unprecedented wave of patriotism surged among Latvians. Everyone joined in to protect Latvia.
The victory in the War of Independence cemented the Latvian State and confirmed the strength of the people. The spirit of our people was strengthened during the War of Independence. People grew alongside their country, and in their hearts they knew that there was nothing more important than Latvia.
A week ago, on 11 November, the Latvian Freedom Fighters’ Remembrance Day, we walked a symbolic path across the river Daugava, the same path our soldiers marched a hundred years ago. The liberation of Riga is an outstanding, heroic feat in Latvian military history, and even today the National Defence Academy cadets learn about it during their training.
But none of the people who founded our state, fought the invaders and gave their lives could have ever predicted the further course of history.
Nobody could have imagined that twenty-two years later a thriving European country would be occupied. That another war would follow. That we would lose our freedom for fifty years and that Latvia would be governed by an inhumane, absurd Soviet occupation regime. Until at last our desire for freedom toppled the regime and the people restored their state.
But today we know for certain that the people who fought one hundred years ago would not have changed their decision.
We cannot predict what will happen one hundred years from today either. But our soul believes that Latvia must go on. The Latvian State, the Latvian language, and life in freedom must prevail.
The desire of the Latvian soul is and will always be for Latvia to persist.
Ladies and gentlemen,
We cannot predict the future one hundred years from now, but we can consider our future sources of inspiration and strength.
A democratic, sovereign state is a prerequisite for the existence of the Latvian people. Statehood will uphold Latvia. Our nation can only thrive if our state thrives. For this exact reason, after the restoration of independence, we clearly defined our geopolitical interests and our course towards the European Union and NATO.
Latvia’s close integration in NATO, the European Union, the OECD, and other international organisations is essential and brings us many benefits.
Our membership in NATO is of particular importance. This year marks the fifteenth anniversary since we joined the political and military alliance, and it is one of our greatest achievements in foreign policy since the restoration of independence. It is a collective security guarantee and a major contribution to the strengthening of our defence capabilities.
The NATO Enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia makes every one of us feel more secure. The NATO alliance does not attack, but it can defend itself. It is fully aligned with our mentality.
We need to take all the necessary measures to support the unity and powerful transatlantic links of NATO.
We are grateful to the governments and armed forces of Canada, Albania, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Montenegro, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain for their solidarity in enhancing security in the Baltic region. We greatly appreciate our strategic partnership with the USA, which is and will remain our priority.
However, we ourselves form the foundation of our national defence. We have significantly enhanced and improved the combat capabilities of the National Armed Forces.
Our people trust our soldiers and the National Guard. They have earned respect and distinction at home, as well as praise from international partners.
Likewise, our accession and integration in the European Union is of great importance. It is our membership in the European Union that enabled a successful shift in the course of our economic development and a breakthrough in the national evolution.
Our European Union membership protects us, helps our country prosper, and allows us to be part of the Western culture and democratic value space where we naturally belong.
We greatly appreciate it, and for this very reason we are strong advocates of Ukraine's interests, namely, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. We support its political and economic integration into the European Union. We will continue to stand against the unlawful annexation Russia has carried out in Crimea, and Latvia has recognised the deportations of Crimean Tatars as genocide.
In turn, the Baltic States help the European Union become more dynamic and demonstrate that ‘small is the new big’. We are a living proof that little strokes fell great oaks. With our excellence in culture, sports, science, innovation. With our development.
Our state has grown immensely over these years. And we have grown, too.
Ladies and gentlemen,
What kind of future is unfolding in Latvia, Europe, and elsewhere?
The world is on the brink of significant change.
Globalisation and its effects were buzzwords not too long ago.
Now, people already talk of a post-globalisation era. The new, swiftly approaching age has not yet been named, but it is most often described as a multipolar world, most likely to be dominated by three large regions: America, the European Union, and Asia spearheaded by China.
Each of these regions may take a completely different approach to politics, economy, and the concept of freedom. Each region can establish its own military doctrine, develop their own technology and public opinion.
The medium-sized countries will also have to find their place in the world. Economic analysts believe that a new kind of ‘Hanseatic Leagues’ may form in the future, uniting small developed countries, such as the Nordic countries and the Baltic States.
For this very reason, striving towards Nordic standards is farsighted and appropriate, and it is a viable objective if we define clear tasks and work on them unrelentingly.
If we want to grow and develop, if we want to boost the prosperity of the society, we must be able to seize the best opportunities.
Dear compatriots,
The second pillar that will uphold Latvia is our language.
Our national culture and the Latvian language are cornerstones of Latvian self-determination.
There is a saying: one who masters the language, masters the mind. Language governs thought.
In our country, Latvian is the language of communication for the whole society—
it is the state language.
On the one hand, in terms of our attitude towards the use of language, we are still stuck in the past, under the influence of Russian. On the other hand, the importance of English is ever increasing, as it is the dominant language of the World Wide Web.
The attitude towards the everyday use of Latvian and its future development is a cause for concern.
In minority schools, there are not enough Latvian language teachers. In the media, the competitive pressure to provide instant information results in a careless use of language in the news. Linguists are growing concerned about the risk of Latvian ceasing to be a language of science. The signs are alarming.
We must find effective solutions ensuring the development of the language. We have already established the transition to Latvian on all levels of education. High-quality education in the official language must be provided from kindergarten to university.
The strengthening of the state language must continue.
Experts are confident that languages whose development involves new technologies will have a chance in the future.
In Latvia, there is ongoing work on artificial intelligence technologies capable of providing support to the viability of different languages in the digital era. Talented scientists and IT specialists are taking part in this endeavour.
At the time when the State of Latvia was proclaimed, the situation with the Latvian language was much worse. Despite having been educated in Russian or German, the political and public figures of the time dedicated their life and work so that Latvians could live in their own country and speak their own language freely. So that the Latvian language would be brought to life in every sphere.
We must follow in their footsteps. The Latvian language deserves its rightful status and honour.
Let us speak Latvian!
The third aspect is our soul. Today, when looking into the future, should we be talking about a “Latvian soul” and Latvianness? Or should we be avoiding these words?
Together, we shape our country. Regardless of our nationality. Having common values is what matters. Therefore, on the anniversary of our country, let us thank everyone who devoted their effort to Latvia for it to become more prosperous, fair and strong. Let us thank every citizen of Latvia, who loves and strengthens Latvia and who is ready to grow together with this country.
A valuable insight emerged during a discussion organised this year on the topic of Latvianness: that the public policy deliberately developed in inter-war Latvia fostered national self-esteem. It was done mainly through education and culture, but economical means were used as well. This was especially true in the countryside or, as we say now, in the regions.
It bore fruit: the generation living in inter-war Latvia had strong self-esteem and deeply rooted patriotism. It proved to be decisive in the years to come.
It was this national consciousness that allowed us to survive the Soviet occupation of Latvia that lasted half a century. It helped us preserve our Latvianness both here and in exile. It also ensured the possibility to maintain Latvia's international legal status, which was crucial for the restoration of independence on the basis of the state continuity doctrine.
National identity, self-determination, and self-respect consolidate every nation. They also strengthen the country where all of us, patriots of Latvia of different nationalities, live today.
Throughout its existence, Latvia has always been founded on the principles of human dignity and freedom; it has protected and respected every national minority. This was true in inter-war Latvia and it remains true today.
Honourable Members of Parliament,
Representatives of seven political parties have been elected to this Parliament. Its composition has changed significantly. In practice, political scene has become increasingly fragmented and emotional. This cannot fail to be a cause for concern about whether, even after long discussions, we are always capable of making professional, quality decisions.
Debates on one or another draft law are often overshadowed by considerations about the people submitting the draft law, about the advantages it presents to some and not to others, about the exact party, sector or part of society that benefits or loses from it. Yet, what are the benefits for the country?
Hot air is of no use here. We need professional action to come up with high-quality legal acts and to prevent the legislative process from being overly politicised and biased. Perhaps we should consider a way to increase the involvement of qualified experts in making legislative provisions.
Our country has three main medium-term and long-term tasks: to considerably improve the demographic situation, to develop effective governance and economy, as well as to create goods and services that can be successfully sold around the world.
Demography constitutes a never-ending challenge for every small country. It is the demographic and public health perspective we must adopt when considering reforms in the health-care sector, dealing with remuneration of medical staff, and ensuring the provision of services. Caring for medical staff means caring for the whole society.
To my mind, we are on the right path in our efforts to make governance and economic management more effective. This is also pursued by the administrative territorial reform; while it is yet to find the best possible implementation model and wider public support, its overall objective is precisely that: to improve access to services and foster economic activities in all the regions of this country.
Innovation, better integration of science and industry, creating products with high added value: the use of all the potential for raising state revenue remains insufficient. Have we done everything to achieve a breakthrough? Probably, not quite yet.
We still underestimate the role of agriculture in our economic development and search of our market niche. Latvia presents great future potential in the organic product sector, particularly considering the growing global demand for natural and organic food.
Dear colleagues! It is our joint responsibility to strengthen our country. Every convocation of the Saeima and every government must remember that the main goal is to ensure the sustainability of Latvia. This goal is enshrined in our Constitution. It is our guiding light.
Fellow compatriots,
During the last thirty years, the restored State of Latvia has pursued a truly significant path of development. Throughout this period, we have been bolstered by the understanding that we hold our land and our statehood dear and that only here can the Latvian language and culture prosper. These were the considerations taken into account when making the most crucial political decisions.
For the most part, we have restored the good things that were lost or wasted during the Soviet occupation. We have re-established many severed and dear ties linking us to the early years and inter-war period of our country. The preparations for and celebrations of the centenary of Latvia tremendously helped us boost our national self-esteem.
We have acquired a new generation born after the restoration of Latvia's independence—a generation of open-minded, bright, patriotic and smart young people. Young specialists with excellent education, international experience and willingness to work have entered the public administration.
Thirty years ago, we could not have imagined the way we live today. Now, as we stand on the doorstep of the second centenary of Latvia, we are aware that many changes—still unknown to us—are yet to come.
Nevertheless, there are things we can be confident about: our land, our people, and our values that we will always protect.
Today is ours. And tomorrow remains a task for all of us.
What will always stay with us are our roots from which to grow and our wish for our soul to always belong to Latvia.
May Latvia live and prosper forever!
God bless Latvia!