Constitutional law experts meet at a think tank held by the Constitutional Court
On 13 December 2019, the Constitutional Court held a Constitutional law expert’s think tank for the second time; the think tank was dedicated to the 23rd anniversary of the Constitutional Court. The aim of the think tank was to bring together prominent Constitutional law scholars in Latvia to discuss current constitutional law issues. This time discussions at the think tank focused on two topics: the improvement of the legislative process as the background for the development of a democratic rule-of-law state and the significance of the Constitutional Court judgments in Latvia.
Participating and sharing their thoughts were the guests of honour: the President of Latvia Egils Levits, the former President of the Constitutional Court, Professor of Turība School Aivars Endziņš, former Justice of the Constitutional Court, Associate Professor of Riga Stradins University Uldis Ķinis, the Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Latvia (LU), Associate Professor Anita Rodiņa and Professor of the University of Latvia Ringolds Balodis. The think tank was chaired by the Deputy President of the Constitutional Court Sanita Osipova.
The think tank was opened by the President of the Constitutional Court Ineta Ziemele. She said that, since the very foundation of the Constitutional Court, its judgments have contributed greatly to the development of the state. Opinions expressed in the judgments, which are not restricted just to their decision part, are full of creative legal ideas and present a great tool that can help other constitutional bodies, local authorities and local authority bodies to make daily decisions that will facilitate the development of Latvia as a democratic rule-of-law state even further.
In his address, the State President Egils Levits stressed that it is extremely important for sustainable development of the state that constitutional bodies establish a mutual dialogue about the enforcement of the Constitutional Court judgments, specifically when the principle of good legislation is concerned. He also expressed the opinion that this principle, along with the Rules of Procedure of the Saeima that set out the legislative process, ensures high quality of the process when there is a political will to adopt a new law. Judgments and opinions of the Constitutional Court help improve this procedure and develop democratic order in the state.
Justices of the Constitutional Court, as well as other attendees of the think tank, including former Justices of the Constitutional Court, members of its staff and other experts, also participated in discussions at the think tank.