The Treaty between Latvia and Russia on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family, and Criminal Matters should be denounced, decided the Saeima on Thursday, 18 January. Parliamentarians voted in favour of a draft law suspending the Treaty.

“The Treaty was concluded to promote cooperation in the field of legal assistance. Like a number of other bilateral agreements, it is based on mutual trust and reliance. Russia has lost our trust and has proven that it cannot be relied upon. By denouncing this treaty, we clearly say: the trust is gone,” said Rihards Kols, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which is responsible for advancing the draft law in the Saeima.

The Treaty between Latvia and Russia on Legal Assistance and Legal Relations in Civil, Family, and Criminal Matters was ratified on 1June 1993. It has long since become outdated and is in contradiction with the commitments made by Latvia upon accession to the European Union, which recommends to withdraw from treaties of this type, explained the Chair of the Committee.

Upon denunciation of the Treaty, it will remain in effect for six months after the entering into force of the relevant law. Legal cooperation will then take place on the basis of internationally binding instruments, such as the Council of Europe Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters and the Hague Convention on Civil Matters, explained Kols.

In view of Russia’s hostilities in Ukraine and the sanctions imposed by the international community against Russia, the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima previously called on the line ministries to assess the conformity of bilateral agreements between Latvia and Russia with the geopolitical situation, and the Saeima decided on the suspension or denunciation of several bilateral agreements or certain articles thereof.

Saeima Press Service