The Ministry of Defence of the
Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republikas Aizsardzības ministrija) is the Latvian
government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of
national security
National security, or national defence, is the security and defence of a sovereign state, including its citizens, economy, and institutions, which is regarded as a duty of government. Originally conceived as protection against military att ...
and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of related subordinate agencies. The ministry is headed by the politically appointed
Minister of Defence.
The ministry was established on 22 November 1918 as the Ministry of Protection (), just four days after the
proclamation of the independence of Latvia.
Jānis Zālītis, a member of the
People's Council of Latvia
The People's Council of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Tautas padome, LTP) was a temporary council which declared Latvia's independence on November 18, 1918 and then acted as the temporary parliament of the country until a Constitutional Assembly was elec ...
, was appointed as minister. After the end of the
Latvian War of Independence, in 1922 the ministry was renamed as the Ministry of War ().
After the
occupation of Latvia in 1940 by the Soviet Union, the ministry was formally dissolved on 27 September 1940, and its building taken over by the HQ of the
Baltic Military District of the
Soviet Army
uk, Радянська армія
, image = File:Communist star with golden border and red rims.svg
, alt =
, caption = Emblem of the Soviet Army
, start_date ...
until August 1994.
On 13 November 1991, the ministry was re-established in its current form as the Ministry of Defence on the basis of the Public Security Department by the
Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia.
Core tasks
* Strategic analysis, research and development (R&D)
* The development of long-term policy including future strategic concepts and doctrines
* Perspective and structural planning
* Planning, budgeting and implementation in the medium and short term
* Overall management of agencies’ activities during the budget year
* Operational policy, planning and management at a strategic level
* Exercise policy, planning and management at a strategic level
* Emergency planning, policy and management at a strategic level
* Crisis management
* Development and implementation of security policy, both nationally and internationally
* Development of defence cooperation with allied- and partner countries
* Strategic personnel management
* Information, communication and press relations
* Strategic leadership and management in the field of ICT
* Organisational development
* Preventive security at a strategic level
* Legal questions
* Controller / Internal audit
* Internal administration
See also
*
List of Ministers of Defence of Latvia
The Defence Minister of the Republic of Latvia is the head of the Ministry of Defence, who is charged with the political leadership of the Latvian National Armed Forces. The position was re-established in November 1991 following the declaration ...
References
External links
Official website
Latvia
Latvia ( or ; lv, Latvija ; ltg, Latveja; liv, Leţmō), officially the Republic of Latvia ( lv, Latvijas Republika, links=no, ltg, Latvejas Republika, links=no, liv, Leţmō Vabāmō, links=no), is a country in the Baltic region of ...
Government of Latvia
Military of Latvia
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