On October 1, Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere met with the new Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Latvia, Kathy Leach, during an introductory visit to discuss bilateral cooperation in the fields of justice and security.
Minister of Justice Inese Lībiņa-Egnere emphasized that the United Kingdom is an important partner for Latvia and reaffirmed her readiness to strengthen ongoing cooperation and dialogue. Security is Latvia’s top priority, reflected in the national budget, and close collaboration with the UK in this area is particularly significant.
During the meeting, the issue of extradition of Latvian citizens suspected of criminal offenses to the United Kingdom was discussed. The Minister noted that following the UK’s departure from the European Union, solutions need to be found that are similar to arrangements with other Latvian allied countries outside the EU, where a significant proportion of Latvian citizens reside. In the meantime, Latvia is taking all possible measures to prevent impunity in cases where extradition is not possible, including taking over criminal proceedings domestically.
The discussion also covered a potential agreement on transferring convicted persons from the United Kingdom to Latvia. Approximately 126 Latvian citizens are serving sentences in the UK, of whom about 30 could be transferred to Latvia. It was stressed that any possible solution, including a new treaty, must provide practical added value. Both parties agreed to continue expert-level discussions to clarify mutual understanding and identify the best solutions.
The meeting also addressed current European challenges related to the impact of populism on attempts to limit the application of the European Convention on Human Rights and other international human rights instruments. The Minister expressed a firm conviction: “We must be wise in dialogue and uphold the European Convention on Human Rights, as it forms the foundation of the democratic world order, which Russia, after its expulsion from the Council of Europe, seeks to undermine – both directly and indirectly through other actors. Fundamental values distinguish democratic rule of law from autocracies, and we must maintain our rule-of-law identity without yielding to populism or external pressure.”