The President of the Constitutional Court Ineta Ziemele participated in the opening of an international conference dedicated to Kazakhstan’s Day of Constitution in Astana
From 28 to 30 August, the President of the Constitutional Court Ineta Ziemele and the Head of the Legal Department Alla Spale participate in the international conference organised in honour of the anniversary of the Constitution of Kazakhstan “A Constitution: The embodiment of the values of the rule of law, civil society and modern state”, held in Astana, Kazakhstan. The Conference was opened by the Chairman of the Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan Kairat Mami and the Secretary of State of Kazakhstan Gulshara Abdykhalikova. Ineta Ziemele gave an address at the opening ceremony of the Conference, highlighting the important role of the Constitution in the development of the modern society.
In her address, Ineta Ziemele said that the Constitution, i.e., the elements included in it – the general principles of law, the constitutional order, the division of powers, fundamental rights, expressed and helped to measure the level of democracy in the society. She underscored that the law was the past, which predetermined the future; moreover, it was incredibly important for the development of society.
In her speech, Ineta Ziemele focused of the Satversme [the Constitution] of the Republic of Latvia (hereinafter – the Satversme), which was adopted and entered into force in 1922 and was fully reinstated on 21 August 1991. She emphasised that this fact proved that the ideas of the past, which were based on the idea of freedom carried by the people of Latvia throughout centuries, served the development of the Latvian society in the 21st century.
Ineta Ziemele emphasised that a dialectical relationship existed between the society and the law (in the broadest sense), therefore the Constitutional Court also saw the Satversme as a living instrument, the content of which was broader than its concise written text. The text of the Satversme should be interpreted according to the needs and circumstances of the contemporary society, taking into account the ever closer integration of Europe, reflected in the fact that the European Union law becomes a part of the Latvian law.
In closing her address, Ineta Ziemele, drawing attention to the fact that Kazakhstan also was a part of globalisation and integration processes, said that, although the times changed and ideas evolved, the Constitution and the rule of law, as such, remained. It included the ideas of yesterday, which should be able to ensure a clear and foreseeable framework for the self-identification of the society tomorrow.
The Conference is held by the Constitutional Council of Kazakhstan in co-operation with the Foundation of the First President of the Republic Kazakhstan, the European Commission, the Mission of OSCE to Kazakhstan, and the Universities of Astana. The Conference was attended by officials, representatives of constitutional jurisdictions and experts from more than 20 countries.
Photo: Alla Spale.