The Conservative Union
For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK Chairman of the Union - Mr. Roberts Zīle, MEP Head of the Parliamentary Faction - Mr. Māris Grīnblats, MP Secretary General - Mr. Juris Saratovs
The Political Party Conservative Union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK is the right-wing conservative political party. Presently the party unites more than 2000 active members. Such membership places it among the largest political parties in Latvia with a well-developed regional structure. Now party has regional branches in all geographic parts of the country, as well as members abroad (Canada, Australia, Sweden, Germany, USA, Argentina). The National Parliament After the election of 9th Saeima (on October 7, 2006) the Parliamentary faction For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK won 8 mandates, after split in the party in 2008, party now holds 5 mandates. Contact details Main office: Jēkaba iela 20/22 - 9, Riga, LV-1050, Latvia Phone: + 371-67216762 Fax: + 371-67215200 E-mail: tb@tb.lv Web page: www.tb.lv International Secretary: Mr. Jānis Tomels Phone/Fax: +371-67087268 E-mail: tomels@saeima.lv
Brief history
of the Union " For Fatherland and Freedom" / LNNK
The development of our union goes back to the beginning of 1993, when the Election coalition of national conservative ideology "For Fatherland and Freedom" was formed and in the elections to the 5th Saeima won 6 seats out of total 100 in the Parliament. During the work of the 5th Saeima the coalition "For Fatherland and Freedom" acted in the opposition while the Government coalition was made by centre-right liberal political forces. The Conservative Union "For Fatherland and Freedom" was founded in the process of merging of three political organisations - November 18th Alliance, National Union "Tēvzeme" ("Fatherland") and Latvian National Conservative political organisation Union "For Fatherland and Freedom" - on January 21, 1995 with the purpose to take part in the Elections of the 6th Saeima (Parliament of Latvia). The merging of Conservative Union and another political party of the right wing - LNNK (Latvian National Independence Movement) was a result of alike programmes, ideological basis and values, as well as similar policy of both parties. On June 21, 1997, the united National Conservative political party - the Union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK (further - TB/LNNK) was founded.
The Parliamentary and Government work experience Elections to the 5th Saeima (1993) - 6 seats in the Parliament (out of total 100). The coalition "For Fatherland and Freedom" worked in the opposition. The Conservative Union "For Fatherland and Freedom" was founded in the process of merging of two democratic and pro-independence organisations - November 18th Alliance and National Union "Tēvzeme" ("Fatherland") - on January 21, 1995 with the purpose to take part in the Elections of the 6th Saeima (Parliament of Latvia). Elections to the 6th Saeima (1995) - 14 seats (the 3rd biggest faction in the Parliament). I Government: - Minister of Justice, - Minister of Economics, - Minister of Welfare, - Minister of Education and Science, - State Minister of Health Care, - State Minister in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. II Government: - Minister of Justice, - Minister of Economics, - Minister of Welfare, - Minister of Finance; - State Minister of Health Care. III Government: - Prime Minister (Mr. Guntars Krasts), - Minister of Finance, - Minister of Justice, - Minister of Welfare. Elections to the 7th Saeima (1998) - 17 seats (the 3rd biggest faction in the Parliament). Mr. Jānis Straume, Member of the TB/LNNK - Speaker of the Saeima. I Government: - - Minister of Welfare, - Minister of Interior, - Minister of Defence, - Minister of Environment and Regional Development, - Vice-Prime Minister on EU issues, - Minister of Co-operation with International Finance Organisations, - State Minister of Environment - State Minister of Health care. II Government: - Minister of Welfare, - Minister of Defence, - Minister of Economics, - Minister of Environment and Regional Development, - Minister of Co-operation with International Finance Organisations. III Government: - Minister of Welfare, - Minister of Defence, - Minister of Environment and Regional Development, - Minister of Special Assignment for Co-operation with International Financial Agencies. Elections to the 8th Saeima (2002) - 7 seats Mr. Jānis Straume - Vice-Speaker of the Saeima. I Government: - Minister of Defence, - Minister of Transport After collapse of this government, since March 2004 until elections of 9th Saeima, TB/LNNK worked in opposition. Elections to the 9th Saeima (2006) - 8 seats (currently 5). I Government: - - Minister of Justice, - Minister of Economics, - Minister of Special Assignment for Administration of EU Funds II Government: - - Minister of Justice, - Minister of Economics, - Minister of Special Assignment for Administration of EU Funds (later the position was abolished during the institutional changes of the government) III Government: (present) - Minister of Transport. Mr.Jānis Birks was Mayor of Riga from 2007 to 2009. In Local Government elections on June 6, 2009 TB/LNNK did not pass the 5 percent barrier to election in Riga City Council, however got 82 seats in different municipal councils all over Latvia including 3 chairman posts. In elections of European Parliament on June 12, 2004 TB/LNNK gained 4 seats (from 9 in total) and party's MEPs Mr.Guntars Krasts, Mr.Roberts Zīle, Mr.Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis and Mrs.Inese Vaidere joined the "Union of for Europe of the Nations" (UEN group) in the European Parliament. In elections of European Parliament on June 6, 2009 TB/LNNK gained 1 seat (from 8 in total) and party's MEP Mr.Roberts Zīle was among the founders of new political group in the European Parliament - European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).
* * * The basic values of the national conservative policy of the Latvian Conservative Union In outlining and practically realising its policy the Conservative Union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK keeps to conservative principles: We are democratic We consider it of great importance to strengthen the independence and sovereignty of the Latvian state in order to enliven the essential principles of democracy: power distribution and active public participation in the political process. Our principle values are the following: Parliamentary democracy;
Rule of law;
Human rights;
Strong and stable civil society;
Rational state administration system, meeting the interests of citizens;
Private property;
Socially responsible market economy, providing everybody with the maximum opportunities to participate in and realise economic activities;
Free and fair competition.
We are conservative Any society is based on stable, long-standing values and traditions. No development of state, society, as well as any human personality is possible without observing them. That is why the values we follow are: International Affairs MEP Roberts Zīle is a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament. The ECR group holds 54 seats in the European Parliament and it is composed by the Latvian (TB/LNNK), British (Conservative Party), Czech (ODS), Polish (Prawo i Sprawedlivość), Lithuanian (Electoral Action of Poles), Dutch (Christian Union), Belgian (List Dedecker) and Hungarian (Hungarian Democratic Forum) parties. The Union "For Fatherland and Freedom"/LNNK and MEP Roberts Zīle is the founding member of "Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists" (AECR), which is the European Political association. The closest Baltic co-operational partners of the Union are the like-minded "Pro Patria and Res Publica Union" of Estonia and "Homeland Union - Lithuanian Christian Democrats" of Lithuania. Party has good co-operation with Konrad Adenauer Foundation and International Republican Institute. The Youth Section The Youth Section of the Conservative Union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK was founded in 1995 and unites members all over Latvia aged from 18 to 33. The Youth section is acting in accordance with the ideological basis, Programme and Statutes of the Conservative Union For Fatherland and Freedom/LNNK. The Youth Section is a nice way to involve more and more young people in the political life of Latvia. But for general political rights it gives a good chance for them to run for Parliamentary elections, as well as for the municipal ones or to take part in campaign organisation. Thus the level of the political responsibility of youth is enhanced. It is important for our young people to have initiative - to hold and to carry on national and conservative ideas especially today, when the democratic principles start to take root in the Latvian state. The Youth Section co-operates with the right-wing youth organisations of the Baltic States and other European countries. Since 1996 our Youth Section is a full member of the European Young Conservatives, and since 1998 - associated member of the Nordic Young Conservatives. What was "The Latvian Legion" The Commission of Historians of Latvia A special Commission of Historians of Latvia was established by the former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga and it consists of number of professional historians and also includes a number of prominent foreign scholars. The main task of the Commission is to study the issue "Crimes against Humanity Committed in the Territory of Latvia under Two Occupations, 1940 - 1956". It involves work for several years, which is connected both with the need to acquire new materials from archives as well as the need to acquire a possibly most impartial estimation of the problems connected with the theme. In the course of these investigations, the Commission has emphasized that one of the central problems has been the difference in public perceptions and awareness in these countries and outside, especially in the West, concerning the severity of Nazi and Soviet crimes. Please find below several links to the research documents prepared by the Commission: Lectures and documents by the historians of the Commission of Historians of Latvia are available here: http://www.president.lv/pk/content/?cat_id=1381 "The Latvian Legion" Lecture of Professor I. Feldmanis, University of Latvia http://www.president.lv/pk/content/?cat_id=1419 The Volunteer SS Legion in Latvia Dr.habil.hist. Inesis Feldmanis, University of Latvia Dr.hist. Kārlis Kangeris, Institute for Baltic Studies, Stockholm University http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/latvia/history/legion/ "The Latvian Legion: the Most Topical Research Problems" Lecture of Professor I. Feldmanis, University of Latvia http://www.mfa.gov.lv/en/latvia/history/latvian-legion/ What really happens at the commemoration events of the Latvian Legion on March 16th. The origin of the date of 16 March The Baltic SS military divisions (Baltic legions) in the view of their aim, ideology, activity and qualification of their contents should be considered as separate formations and different from German SS divisions, therefore the commission does not regard them as hostile movement to the USA government policy according to the amendments made in the Law about displaced persons, paragraph 13." (by Harry N. Rozenfield, member of the Commission of Displaced Persons). (The source: "Latvian Legion. Heroes, Nazis or victims? A collection of documents From OSS War-Crimes investigation files 1945-1950. Riga: The Historical Institute of Latvia, 1997). On February 10th 1943, in violating the international Hague Convention of 1907 about the regulations for warfare provisions which forbade the occupation states to mobilize the local population, Adolf Hitler issued the command about the formation of a Latvian Legion from the citizens of the Republic of Latvia which was at that time occupied by Germany. The service in Legion was "voluntary" obligatory, that is, in case of refusal it would qualify for a prison sentence for desertion. It can not be denied that a big part of why people joined the legion at the very beginning of its formation, was in order not to prevent the repeated invasion of the Soviet Union into the territory of Latvia. Alltogether there were five big mobilization rounds, as a result of which about 115 000 Latvian soldiers were fighting in the armed forces of the German army. From all the mobilized Latvians two divisions were formed - Number 15 and Number 19 Waffen SS divisions. Many legionnaires also formed the core group for the 11 years long resistance movement against Soviet occupation.
In March 16 -18, 1944, both divisions fought together, shoulder to shoulder, only once, in the battle near the Velikaya River, therefore the organization "Daugavas Vanagi" (The Daugava Hawks) in the West in 1952 chose this day - March 16, as the remembrance day of legion. March 16 is not the day of the formation of legion, but it is the remembrance and memory day of Latvian Legion and the killed soldiers. In 1950 the US Commission of Displaced persons recognized that the Legion has not been involved in war crimes. The Latvian Legion was formed as a pure battlefront division in the war against the Soviet Union. Controversy of the Remembrance Day In the 1990s the celebration was very peaceful and did not attract much attention from politicians, nor by the local or international media. 1997 can be regarded as the "breaking point" in terms of the controversy surrounding the event. Several MPs as well as Mr Juris Dalbiņš (MP, Latvian Peoples' Party since 1998, member-party of the EPP), Commander of National Armed Forces, took part in the event. This caused the sharp reaction of the Russian Foreign Affairs ministry, which deplored the event and labelled it as "a march of former SS members". Mr Dalbiņš took part in the event in 1998 again and was consequently dismissed from his office. In 1998 participants of the event were faced by anti-Nazi demonstrators, effectively Russian-backed organizations, spreading the statements of the Russian Government on the event. This immediately attracted local pro-Russian media and Russian speaking leftist radicals to the event, shouting threats and insults, which in turn now attracts radicals of the other end of the spectrum, thus adding a dimension of radicalism, controversy and ideological and political battle to an event which in its original form was intended to be just solely a private act of remembrance. 1998 can therefore be regarded as the starting point for the Russian anti-Nazi propaganda machine to start to spread misleading information about the Latvian Legion. Russian-backed organizations gather around the march, try to block it and caricature the event as celebration of the Nazi regime. These photos are often misleadingly used by foreign press as photos of the commemoration ceremony itself. The Latvian Legion Day on 16 march was made an official remembrance day in Latvia from 1998 to 2000 when after the strong pressure of the left-wing political forces as well as pressure from Russian propaganda accusing the Latvian Republic of the "glorification of Nazism" and a "revival of Nazism" its status of the official commemoration day was cancelled. Abolishment of the official Remembrance Day The official Remembrance Day was abolished in 2000 after a huge escalation of the local and international media attention and sharp reaction by the Russian Government. The Annual commemoration event in Riga city centre was of minor importance during 2001-2006, it was not held at all for a few years, legionnaires instead gathered for the commemoration event in the Legionnaires' cemetery in Lestene on the same date. Since 2007 the area of the Freedom Monument has been blocked by street barriers and police and the official authorisation for a mass gathering has not been issued by the respective municipal authorities. The commemoration event however is still organised by the Latvian National Soldiers association and other patriotic organisations. One of the reasons to abolish the ceremony at the Monument of Freedom was concerns over the possible provocations and mass disorder caused by both sides of participants. Format of the remembrance event Traditionally on 16 March a memorial service is held in Riga Cathedral, after which the participants holding Latvian flags go in procession to the Freedom Monument where they lay wreaths in memory of their killed friends and family members. According with the official sources, the number of participants in the event varies at around several hundreds of people. As one can see in the photos and video below, no pro-Nazi symbols or any other form of ideological expression is being used by the participants; it is a peaceful wreath-laying ceremony with a few hundred participants, mostly elderly persons. Video of the commemoration event held on 16 March 2009 is available here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uf14qkzYEg The commemoration event in the Legionnaires' cemetery in Lestene There is another commemoration event organised in the same date in the Legionnaires' cemetery and being attended by the number of politicians. The Fraternal Cemetery at Lestene, in the Tukums region of western Latvia, is the memorial where not only Latvian legionnaires but also other soldiers, defenders of Latvia during the World War II are buried. This is a second largest fraternal cemetery in Latvia and its construction was supported both by private donations and the state budget resources. Some photos from the commemoration event held on 16 March 2008 are available here: http://www.ntz.lv/photogalleries/ntz.lv/content.html?g_id=37&p_id=266 Back in June 2008, the opening event of the Lestene cemetery was attended by the Speaker of the National Parliament Viesturs Daudze, several MPs and MEP Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis (now chairman of Civil Union party, EPP), Vice-admiral of Nation Armed Forces Gaidis Andrejs Zeibots, former State President Guntis Ulmanis and others. The written address by the State President Valdis Zatlers was delivered. In 2009, the commemoration event of 16 March was attended by representatives of the Civil Union party, currently having 2 MEPs in the EPP group. Former MEP Ģirts Valdis Kristovskis (currently the Chairman of the Civil Union Party, EPP group) and MEP Sandra Kalniete (MEP, EPP) took part in the ceremony and even addressed the event with public speeches, unlike their party colleagues MPs Ina Druviete, Ilma Čepāne, Kārlis Šadurskis who were amongst the participants but not speakers in the event. MP Inguna Rībena from the New Era party (current Prime Minister party, EPP), MP Dzintars Ābiķis (at that time a member of the Latvian Peoples' Party, EPP group) as well as MP Juris Dobelis from the "Fatherland and Freedom"/LNNK party also were present.
Datums: 0000-11-09
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