Ratification of the Istanbul Convention would send an important message to Latvia's foreign partners - Foreign Ministry

RIGA - The ratification of the Istanbul Convention will not only send a strong political message to Latvian society that we stand against violence, but also an important message to Latvia's foreign partners, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), which is currently without a minister, but whose work is supervised by the resigned Prime Minister, New Unity (JV) politician Krisjanis Karins, whose name is among the candidates for the post of Foreign Minister.

According to the MFA, this is particularly relevant in the context of Latvia's current presidency of the Council of Europe, "when, as the country holding the presidency, we are facing increased interest from foreign partners and questions about the reasons for not ratifying the Istanbul Convention".

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Istanbul Convention is an important instrument of international human rights law for the protection of all persons from domestic violence.

The Ministry stresses that the State has an obligation to protect the right to life of every person under its jurisdiction without discrimination.

This week, the Saeima Foreign Affairs Committee also began examining a citizens' initiative on Latvia's non-accession to the Istanbul Convention, and the committee will devote several sessions to the issue, committee chairman Rihards Kols (National Alliance) told LETA.

Justice Minister Inese Libina-Egnere (JV) told LETA that the Saeima could approve the cohabitation regulation as well as the Istanbul Convention by the end of this year. She stressed that the Ministry of Justice has drafted both the cohabitation regulation and the law on the ratification of the Istanbul Convention.

As reported, the previous coalition made up of New Unity, the National Alliance and the United List was incapable of introducing the mentioned regulation. Now, Prime Minister designate Evika Silina (New Unity) is forming the new government, with the new coalition to be made up of New Unity, the Union of Greens and Farmers and the Progressives.