On Thursday, 6 October, Latvia’s parliament passed in the third reading amendments to the National Guard of the Republic of Latvia Law. These amendments state that in the event of military mobilisation, members of the National Guard are to be called in to active military service as regular troops.
The parliament also passed accompanying legislative amendments to the National Security Law and Mobilisation Law.
The Cabinet of Ministers in Latvia will be authorised to announce mobilisation of members of the National Guard once a special state is declared in the country. The law also provides for partial inclusion of members of the National Guard in the regular army. All other members of the National Guard are to be put in high alert.
The law states that employers have a duty relieve their mobilised employees who are also members of the National Guard of their direct duties without paying their wage.
This measure is intended to allow members of the National Guard who become regular soldiers for a time to be paid wages appropriate to their rank in the military, the annotation to the legislative draft mentions.
Amendments to the law also include exceptions in regards to mobilisation of members of the National Guard and putting them on high alert. The government will be able to set exceptions in regards to officials and employees of state and municipal institutions involved in measures to prevent and overcome risks to the state, or if they ensure uninterrupted operations of critical infrastructure or critical financial services.
For National Guards to be put on high alert, they will have a duty to become reachable within six hours of the announcement of high alert status. They are to contact the National Guard using their official e-mail address or by phone.
Members of the National Guard are to remain in Latvia. If they are in a foreign country when the high alert status is announced, they are to inform the National Guard of their planned return and act in accordance to instructions provided.
Failure to perform their duties as members of the National Guard in a state of high alert will be punishable with a fine of up to EUR 350.
The law also permits organisation of battle exercises twice a year. Each exercise may last up to 72 hours. During these exercises it planned to test notification procedures, assembly procedures, as well as procedures for the provision of personnel with equipment, the annotation to the legislative draft mentions.
The maximum age for members of the National Guard will be increased from 60 to 65 years.
Specialists in the National Guard, instructors and officers will be able to continue their service in the National Guard even after reaching 65 years of age if their health and physical fitness meets specific requirements.