"Today we celebrate the 25th anniversary of our Latvian National Guard. We celebrate independence and freedom of our country. We honour Latvian people, who have been and are ready to defend the state of Latvia due to their love of their homeland sharing their strength, health, and life. Then and now our National Guard is the cornerstone of Latvian self-defence,” said the President of Latvia.
He stressed that Latvia was as strong as strong the will of Latvian population to defend it was. Extending Latvian National Guard with patriotic people still was one of the most important tasks of Latvian self-defence, according to the President of Latvia and he called on the people to gather in the ranks of National Guard under the flag of Latvia.
In his speech, the President of Latvia emphasized the progress made in strengthening the defensibility of Latvia. In 2018, the defence spending from the state budget will be 2% of gross domestic product. Latvia modernizes its defence equipment, organizes exercises, and increases its military readiness, as well as strengthens the state border. The state of Latvia has strong partners and trusted friends in the world's strongest military alliance NATO, stated the President of Latvia.
Raimonds Vējonis urged to remember that no alliance, friend, or ally would replace our own will and desire to fight for independent Latvia, defend it and give our lives for it. The President of Latvia stated that only we were building the capacity that nobody else could beat.