On May 4, representing the Supreme Court and Latvia’s judiciary, President of the Supreme Court Aigars Strupišs participated in the ceremonial laying of flowers at the Freedom Monument to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the restoration of Latvia’s independence.

Meanwhile, Senator Jānis Pleps, invited to Latvian Television as an expert in constitutional law, spoke on the morning of May 4 about the continuity of the Latvian state. “If the Baltic states are remembered in history and legal textbooks for anything, it is for their continuity,” said Jānis Pleps, noting that the Baltic precedent remains the benchmark for how long a claim to statehood can be upheld and justice restored. At present, that precedent spans 50 years.

Reflecting on the current situation, the Senator emphasized the importance of the reasonableness and composure that have always been part of the Latvian cultural mindset: “Measure seven times, cut once.” He also stressed the need to preserve critical thinking and continue reading. Referring to the celebration of 500 years of Latvian book publishing, Jānis Pleps recalled the words of one of Latvia’s great public figures, Dainis Īvāns: “We must continue to read and think.”

 

Information prepared by

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

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