It is planned that dual citizens of Latvia are also planned to be enlsited into the State Defense Service (VAD), the Ministry of Defense (MoD) admitted.
The same applies to a citizen of Latvia who has acquired the citizenship of a country with which Latvia has concluded an agreement on the recognition of dual citizenship retains its citizenship. Citizenship is also preserved when a person automatically acquired the citizenship of another country through entering into marriage or as a result of adoption.
Ministry considers that the duties of a citizen should be identical for all citizens, accordingly, dual citizenship by itself will not release from being enlisted.
At the same time, there will be an exception for the citizens with dual citizenship who have already served in foreign military service or performed alternative service. Such citizens will not be recruited in will not be conscripted into the State Defence Service.
Considering that the State Defence Service will be conducted in Latvian language, there is a certain possibility that dual citizens may not know Latvian language, then the suitability of enlisting such potential recruits, including citizens and dual citizens will be «carefully evaluated», stated Ministry of Defence.
The ministry also stated that, in accordance with the informative report on the implementation of the State Defence Service, respecting citizens’ education, personal growth and professional career plans, as well as economic or family life challenges, a mechanism for postponing enlistment is provided, where a citizen could ask to postpone the date of enlistment to a later time, but not later than until the person reaches the age of 26.
The citizen will have to justify the request of postponing the enlistment, for example, whether these are studies at a university, a specific professional career or any other important reasons.
It has already been reported that the MoD has submitted the informational report on the introduction of State Defence Service to the Ministries of Finance, Interior, Welfare, Justice and Health for the approval. As soon as the government and Latvia’s Saeima make decisions on the introduction of VAD, the Ministry of Defence will start creating a selection system, which will be created within two years, based on the analysis of all data.
The system foresees the identification of all male citizens who have reached the age of 18, the assessment of their compliance with the VAD, as well as the enlistment of as many citizens as possible into the service. It is expected that the VAD will recruit young people between the ages of 18 and 27.
The VAD includes three different types of military service–service in National Armed Forces units, service in the National Guard and special military training of university students, as well as alternative service.
Dual citizens also to be enlisted in State Defence Service
