Constitutional Law
2022 - 08 - 31
Article by: Edgars Pastars
Due to the centenary of the Satversme (the Constitution of Latvia), “Latvijas Vēstnesis” offers the English translation of the book “Constitutional Law” in digital format to any reader free of charge. It is available on the website juristavards.lv – hosted by Latvian Law journal “Jurista Vārds” – in the section Library.
The book “Constitutional Law” co-authored by three Latvian lawyers Jānis Pleps, Edgars Pastars and Ilze Plakane has been widely acclaimed by readers and is well-known book on constitutional law in Latvia. The book has three editions (2004, 2014, 2021) all published by Latvijas Vēstnesis (the Agency publishing Official Gazette).
The English translation is based on the latest edition of the book, which has been abridged to provide readers with information on Latvian constitutional law and the practice of its application. The English translation has been delivered by Ingūna Beķere, while a preface of the digital version of the book written by Mārtiņš Paparinskis.
The Constitution of Latvia – named Satversme – is a unique constitution in the European and global context, which makes the constitutional order of Latvia interesting for researchers of constitutional law theory and comparative constitutional law. The book systematises the case-law of the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court on various issues of the application of the Satversme, as well as provides references to available sources for a more in-depth study. In this way, it could be useful as a reliable and handy guide for foreign stakeholders in the theory and practice of the application of the Constitution. The authors of the book emphasize the importance to create one’s own narrative about Latvia in the world, including lawyers – to provide objective and meaningful information about our legal system, also in historical and comparative perspective.