Latvian Tradition in State Responsibility

This Chapter examines the role of the law of state responsibility in the practice of the Latvian State. The author elaborates on Latvian state creation and practice in the 1920s and 1930s which present a solid ground for the newly founded State’s participation in the legal affairs of the international community. Latvian state practice contributes to the law of state responsibility by elaborating on the concepts of rule of law, international wrongful acts and the necessity to comply with Latvia’s internationally binding legal obligations. Special attention is devoted to the concept of State continuity, and the author claims that in Latvian history the rules of state responsibility predetermined enforcement of the primary rules of state continuity. The author also examines the Latvian state practice since 1990 by examples, which show the application of international law and thus its normative effect as well as arguably refer to a violation of international law, thereby elaborating on the crucial functions of the rule of law.