On Thursday, 10 February, the Saeima adopted in the final reading the Law on good‑will reimbursement to the Jewish community in Latvia. The Law provides for partial compensation of the cadastral value—determined by the state—of the property unclaimed during the restitution period.
The new Law was adopted to eliminate the historically unjust consequences resulting from the Holocaust under the Nazi totalitarian regime and activities of the Soviet communist totalitarian regime in the territory of Latvia.
Before World War II, Jewish religious organisations, communities, and individuals owned schools, orphanages, hospitals, and culture centres. During the Nazi Germany occupation from 1941 to 1945, approximately 75 thousand Jews, citizens of Latvia, were murdered. This is the most atrocious crime against humanity committed in the territory of Latvia. It is difficult to determine the exact amount of private property lost by Jewish people. According to the explanatory note of the Draft Law, the heirs and successors of religious organisations and communities were killed as a result of the War and, therefore, in many cases, real estate property could not be recovered during the privatisation process.
The explanatory note stresses that the Republic of Latvia was not responsible for the Holocaust or the seizing of Jewish property, but it would be ethical and fair if the Law provided for a good‑will reimbursement to the Jewish community in Latvia to compensate for the real estate that was expropriated after 23 August 1991 instead of being returned to the true owners or their heirs.
In total, the losses incurred by the Jewish community following the illegal seizing of their property amount to more than 47 million euros. According to the explanatory note of the Draft Law, the sum was calculated by identifying the real estate properties owned by the Jewish community as of 16 June 1940 on the basis of the cadastral value of these properties in late 2018.
The Law stipulates that the disbursement of the compensation will start in 2023 and will be completed by the end of 2032. The compensation will be included in the annual Law on the State Budget.
The reimbursement may only be used in Latvia and for the purposes and activities set out in the new Law. Additionally, the reimbursement can be used to provide social and material assistance to people who were victims of the Holocaust in the territory of Latvia and who are now living outside Latvia.
The Latvian Jewish Community Restitution Fund may use the reimbursement only for the purpose of funding activities and projects in Latvia dedicated to religion, culture, education, science, health care, history, sports, charity, and the restoration and preservation of the cultural and historic heritage of Jewish people in Latvia. In addition, the reimbursement can be used to support the work of organisations under the Council of Jewish Communities in Latvia, to promote integration, unity, and development of civil society in Latvia, and to maintain the property of the Jewish community and Fund. Otherwise, the Council of the Fund will have the right to request that the recipient of the reimbursement pay back the money received from the state budget.
The reimbursement to the Jewish community in Latvia under this Law is final, thereby terminating any other rights to claim by the Jewish Community of Latvia and the Riga Jewish Religious Community concerning the expropriated real estate.
Saeima Press Service