100 years ago, on March 4, 1921, the Constitutional Assembly adopted the Law on Administrative Courts, therefore today the Department of Administrative Cases of the Senate and administrative courts mark the centenary of Administrative Justice.

“The Law on Administrative Courts established the control of the judiciary over the activities of the executive, ensuring the protection of the values ​​of the state governed by the rule of law. Administrative courts are an element of the state governed by the rule of law. Greetings on the centenary of Administrative Justice!” President Egils Levits wrote in his Twitter account this morning.

In 2021, administrative courts celebrate two significant anniversaries. The first is one hundred years since the adoption of the Law on Administrative Courts, which laid the foundation for the development of Administrative Justice in Latvia. Whereas, in 2001, a modern Administrative Procedure Law was adopted and separate administrative courts were established.

Veronika Krumina, Chair of the Department of Administrative Cases of the Senate, points out that “administrative courts then and now are the instrument that ensures independent, objective and competent judicial control over public administration activities in order to ensure observance of fundamental principles of democracy and rule of law. Thus, 2021 connects us with the time from 100 years ago”. Congratulating her colleagues, she emphasizes that the work of administrative courts is a guarantee for the sustainability of Latvia as a state governed by the rule of law, and wishes everyone a festive state of mind, inspiration, creativity and good health this year.

Within a period of twenty years since the adoption of the Administrative Procedure Law, case-law on the most important issues of administrative law and procedure has been established, the methodology of writing rulings has been developed, monographs, textbooks and commentaries have been published, and administrative courthouses have been opened in Latvia's largest cities.

In order to mark the centenary of the establishment of Administrative Justice and the twenty years of the adoption of the Administrative Procedure Law, a number of events dedicated to Administrative Justice will take place throughout the year.

A visual identity has also been created in honour of the establishment of administrative courts. The editions of the Administrative Procedure Law and Comments are painted purple, and the administrative courts are open to the novelties and ready for the challenges that are characteristic of spring. That is why the true medium of spring – lilac – has been chosen for the visual identity of the festive occasion. The different shades of purple indicate a variety of administrative procedure issues. One of the leaves of a lilac flower is in the colours of the Latvian national flag, as the task of administrative courts is to ensure the observance of the basic principles of a democratic state governed by the rule of law, especially observance of human rights, in relations between the state and individuals. At the same time, it reflects the idea that the development of Administrative Justice has taken place simultaneously with the development of Latvian statehood.

To celebrate the centenary of Administrative Justice, lilacs will be planted both at the administrative courts building in Riga and elsewhere related to this event.

 

 

Information prepared by

Rasma Zvejniece, the Head of the Division of Communication of the Supreme Court

E-mail: rasma.zvejniece@at.gov.lv, telephone: +371 67020396, +371 28652211