The state of emergency declared in Latvia requires a dialogue and cooperation among national constitutional bodies
On Monday, 23 March, the President of the Constitutional Court Ineta Ziemele took part in a joint meeting of heads of national constitutional bodies summoned by the State President Egils Levits to discuss basic principles of their work during the national state of emergency. Among participants of the joint meeting were the Speaker of the Saeima Ināra Mūrniece, the Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Ivars Bičkovičs. This was the first joint meeting of its kind in the history of Latvia.
During the joint meeting, heads of constitutional bodies discussed the impact of the state of emergency on the work of public authorities and acknowledged that the Satversme also sets forth basic principles of the operation of the state aimed at overcoming the state of emergency in order to protect the existence and sustainability of the state, the public and each individual. In his announcement on conclusions of the joint meeting and at the press conference following the joint meeting, the State President especially emphasised cooperation among constitutional bodies, saying that legal formalism and departmentalism obstruct the achievement of aims of the Satversme, specifically in a state of emergency.
President of the Constitutional Court of Latvia Ineta Ziemele during the joint meeting of heads of national constitutional bodies. Photo: Constitutional Court of Latvia.
The Constitutional Court also continues to ensure that it can perform its tasks prescribed by the Satversme and the Constitutional Court Law during the state of emergency. Potential applicants are encouraged to use primarily electronic means of filing applications with the Court or leave them in the designated mailbox located at the Court entrance. Case participants can review materials in cases under examination via electronic means, upon request emailed to the Court at tiesa@satv.tiesa.gov.lv. The Court continues to examine cases in line with procedural time-frames set forth in the law. Until the end of the state of emergency, work at the Constitutional Court will be organised to meet public health interests.
Information on the operational procedures of the Constitutional Court during the state of emergency is available at https://www.satv.tiesa.gov.lv/press-release/covid-19-satversmes-tiesa-veic-pasakumus-noluka-nodrosinat-lietu-izskatisanas-turpinatibu-un-veicinat-cinu-pret-epidemijas-izplatisanos/
The announcement of the State President on conclusions of the joint meeting is available at https://www.vestnesis.lv/op/2020/58A.1
The press conference of the State President following the joint meeting can be watched at https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=8wX7jbBJDLU&feature=emb_logo