Foto: BB.LV / 15-й сейм
The first to repeat the oath was the deputy from the party alliance "Sovereign Power / Union of Young Latvians" (SV/AJ), Natalia Abola. In turn, deputy Baiba Braže ("New Unity", JV) instead of the word apziņas ("consciousness") pronounced sirdsapziņas ("conscience"), so she also had to repeat the solemn promise. Deputy Rudolf Bremanis (SV/JV) from the 15th Saeima also had to repeat the oath because he missed the word un ("and"). Janis Dombrova (National Alliance, NA) had to repeat the oath since he, like Abola, did not say the words "before the people of Latvia." Deputy Ekaterina Ivanova ("Latvia First", LPV) also had to repeat the oath because she missed the word "Latvia." The candidates elected to the 15th Saeima take the following solemn promise: "I, taking on the duties of a Saeima deputy, before the people of Latvia swear (solemnly promise) to be faithful to Latvia, to strengthen its sovereignty and the Latvian language as the only state language, to protect Latvia as an independent and democratic state, to conscientiously and to the best of my understanding fulfill my duties. I commit to uphold the Constitution and laws of Latvia." Each newly elected deputy confirms the solemn promise with their signature. After Natalia Abola took the oath, the chairwoman of the 14th Saeima, Daiga Mierina (Union of Greens and Farmers, ZZS), suggested she repeat the solemn promise, indicating that the text required the words "before the people of Latvia" to be pronounced. After the deputies took the solemn promise, the Saeima votes on the draft decision to confirm the powers of the deputies of the 15th convocation. As previously reported, following the elections to the 15th Saeima, the "United List" (AS) received 41 deputy seats, the "Latvia First" (LPV) party received 17, the alliance "Sovereign Power / Union of Young Latvians" (SV/AJ) received 15, the National Alliance (NA) received 10, the "Progressives" received 10, and "New Unity" (JV) received seven mandates.
