Refraining from commenting on the ongoing developments in the Saeima concerning the Istanbul Convention, President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs has urged members of parliament to engage in a rational discussion and has pledged to assess the bill on withdrawal in accordance with the Constitution, should it reach his desk.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after a meeting with Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity), the President noted that the Saeima is currently considering the issue of denouncing the Istanbul Convention, and he will wait for the parliament’s decision before providing his assessment of the draft law.
The President reminded that he has already expressed his position on the Istanbul Convention earlier. He expressed hope that the Saeima’s discussion would be rational, taking into account international, foreign policy, legal, and violence prevention aspects.
“If the Saeima votes for the bill and adopts it, and this bill reaches my desk, then, in accordance with the Constitution, I will assess it and make a decision,” said Rinkēvičs, adding that he will not take part in the ongoing parliamentary debate “until the parliament has made a decision in one direction or another.”
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister emphasised that
the political debate over the Istanbul Convention should not affect the rights of victims of violence
or the support available to them.
Siliņa stated that the issue of the Istanbul Convention and related initiatives is always on the government’s agenda. She stressed that there is no place for domestic violence or violence against women, and the government will continue working to ensure that support is provided to those seeking help from state institutions.
“I will do everything within my and the government’s power to make sure that people who have placed their trust in the state and receive help can continue to do so, and that children who have sought refuge from violent families can receive support,” the Prime Minister said.
She acknowledged that a pre-election atmosphere can currently be felt in the Saeima but underlined that political discussions — which can at times be called “political theatre” — must not undermine people’s legal confidence in the state’s protection.
As reported earlier, on Wednesday
the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee conceptually supported the proposal to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention,
moving it forward for consideration at the Saeima sitting scheduled for Thursday, the 23rd of October The committee’s deputies began their political debate after previously hearing representatives from ministries and non-governmental organisations.
At the end of September, with the support of the ruling coalition party Union of Greens and Farmers (ZZS), the Saeima referred to the Foreign Affairs Committee the opposition’s initiative to denounce the Istanbul Convention, which would mean Latvia’s withdrawal from it.
In Latvia, the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, also known as the Istanbul Convention, entered into force on the 1st of May 2023. It is an international treaty requiring member states to implement coordinated policies to better protect women from all forms of violence, as well as both women and men from domestic violence.
Among other obligations, member states must ensure comprehensive support and protection for victims — including crisis centres, a 24-hour hotline, and specialised support centres for victims of sexual violence — as well as protect and support children who witness violence.
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