Addressing judges and employees of the Supreme Court in collective event dedicated to 93rd anniversary of foundation of the Republic of Latvia, Ivars Bickovics, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, stressed that judges and court employees are builders of the State and they carry one branch of state power – judiciary.

“Probably in present difficulties some people lost their trust, confidence and pride for the state we live in. however, I am sure that the Supreme Court of Latvia with its work and stability has increased society’s trust to courts”, I.Bickovics said. He expressed hope that the Supreme Court will be able to strengthen citizen’s belief in justice and fairness in Latvia also in future.

Guest of honour in this festive event was Gvido Zemribo, the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Latvia. By decision of the Chapter of Orders of October 20, he was granted Order of Three Stars.

“We are satisfied and proud that Order of Chapters of Latvia respected proposal of the Supreme Court and merits of Gvido Zemribo, our first Chief Justice, carried out for development of Latvian State are evaluated by granting him the Order of Three Stars”, Ivars Bickovics said. He pointed out that largely due to Gvido Zemribo notion “judicial power” became well-known and widely used. It became a title of the law “On Judicial Power” which is a principle law of operation of judiciary, and Gvido Zemribo lead working group on drafting this law.

The ex-Chief Justice of the Supreme Court thanked all those colleagues who accompanied him in difficult and hard time of restoration of independence of Latvia. He also shared his memories about time of barricades in the Supreme Court in 1991, and drafting and adoption of the law “On Judicial Power”.

G.Zemribo admitted that award granted is especially important to him, as his father, being participant of Freedom Struggle, also received the Medal of Honour of the Order of Three Stars in 1930. “So it comes that generation of my father won Latvia of November 18, but my generation had to restore it. As Shakespeare’s Hamlet says: “O cursed spite that ever I was born to set it right!” So we carried this curse out”, Gvido Zemribo said.

In festive ceremony in the Supreme Court eleven judges and employees of the Supreme Court received Awards of Appreciation, and six employees received Medals of long-service for 10 or 15 years spent at work in the Supreme Court.

 

 

Information prepared by

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

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