Saeima of the Republic of Latvia

The www.21augusts.lv website now features newspaper editions covering events of August 1991. The press coverage is published as a part of preparations to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of adopting the Constitutional Law on the Statehood of the Republic of Latvia.

The website contains copies of newspapers Diena (Day) and Atmoda (Awakening) that document the crucial historical events of August in Latvia and the rest of the world. The newspapers contain official statements of public authorities, comments and articles by eyewitnesses, including journalists, as well as photographs.

For instance, a special edition of Diena was published on 21 August. It features the Constitutional Law on the Statehood of the Republic of Latvia adopted by the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia. The Law restored the de facto independence of Latvia. The paper also covers the OMON (Special Purpose Police Unit) attack on the Supreme Council and the decision of leading enterprises to go on strike. Four editions of Atmoda contain the opinions of Latvia’s intelligentsia regarding those developments and the far-reaching impact of those events.

On 21 August 2011 we will celebrate the 20^th anniversary of restoration de facto independence of our state. 21 August 1991 was a turning point in our state’s history, when the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia adopted the Constitutional Law on the Statehood of the Republic of Latvia, thus restoring the de facto independence of Latvia.

This Law renewed the effect of the Satversme (Constitution) adopted in 1922, along with its intrinsic values of a Western democratic state that is governed by law. Adoption of the Constitutional Law annulled the effect of all laws of the USSR in Latvia. This Law served as a reference point for other countries that recognised the restoration of Latvia’s independence.

Press coverage is available at:

http://www.21augusts.lv/preses-hronika

Saeima Press Service