On Thursday, 10 October, the Saeima passed in the final reading amendments to the Military Service Law allowing citizens of other countries to serve in the Latvian Army in the event of mobilisation.
The amendments stipulate that during temporary or partial mobilisation, citizens of the European Union, the European Free Trade Association, NATO member states, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, or Ukraine may voluntarily enlist in the National Armed Forces of Latvia.
Currently, volunteering foreign nationals are not permitted to join the military service during crisis situations. However, Ukraine's experience has demonstrated the effectiveness of foreign nationals fighting within its armed forces, notes the Ministry of Defence.
To be accepted for service, foreign nationals must meet certain requirements. They cannot be staff or freelance members, agents, residents, or holders of a safe house of a foreign country's security, intelligence, or counterintelligence services. The enlistment of foreign nationals in the Latvian Army must align with national security interests. Additionally, they cannot have been enlisted in the USSR or the Latvian SSR services. Applicants must also demonstrate proficiency in the Latvian language or at least one of NATO's official languages – English or French – among other requirements.
The amendments to the Military Service Law further specify that soldiers with dual citizenship involving a third country, such as Russia or Belarus, or any other country that is not a member of the EU, European Free Trade Association, NATO, Australia, Brazil, New Zealand, or Ukraine, may have their service contracts terminated early. Soldiers with dual citizenship must resolve this status by 1 April 2025, as outlined in the amendments.
The amendments to the law also aim to improve conditions for future Latvian soldiers by removing the requirement of a minimum five-year contract term, delegating to the Minister of Defence the responsibility for setting the terms. Until now, before starting training at a military education institution or in a unit of the National Armed Forces, a contract is concluded with the soldier, which stipulates that after the completion of the training course, a minimum contractual period of not less than five years is mandatory. The changes are necessary to ensure greater flexibility in the conclusion of professional service contracts and to encourage soldiers to serve until the end of their first contract, as stated by Latvian Army representatives to MPs.
Additionally, the amendments introduce a requirement for senior and leading instructors to be proficient in at least one of NATO’s official languages, a condition currently imposed only on soldiers applying for the rank of officer. With the growing involvement of instructors in international operations and the need for communication with allied troops, proficiency in English or French has become increasingly essential for senior and leading instructors, as indicated by the authors of the draft law. The requirement will take effect from 1 January 2025.
Saeima Press Service