OCTOBER 27, 2024 — A new petition on the Latvian public portal Mana balss (My Voice) is gathering signatures to allow citizens the option to display the Latvian national flag on their car number plates, instead of only the European Union (EU) flag, reports LA.LV.
The petition, started by Jānis Dambergs 2 weeks ago, seeks to revive the design used before 2004, when Latvian plates featured a red-white-red flag on a white background.
Dambergs pointed out that Denmark offers its residents plates without the EU symbol as an option, and he believes a similar choice in Latvia would promote patriotism and national pride. He argues that current EU-marked plates often cause confusion with those of other member states, while the Latvian flag would clearly identify vehicles as Latvian. “The flag on the number plate is an elegant and official proof of the driver’s nationality,” the petition states, adding that it would strengthen the image of Latvian drivers abroad.
Earlier this year, the Saeima approved the first reading of amendments to the law On the State Coat of Arms of Latvia, aiming to include a small national coat of arms on vehicle plates from 2026. Dambergs’ initiative suggests that both the flag and the coat of arms could coexist on plates.
As of now, 475 people have signed the petition. According to the Mana balss website, if a petition reaches 10,000 signatures, it will be submitted to the Saeima for consideration. Since Mana balss’s inception in 2011, 14 initiatives have met this threshold, eight of which have been acted upon by the Saeima, with four still under review.
Image: Mana balss