The Ministry of Defence is likely to spend a total of € 900,000 on parade swords for National Armed Forces officers in the coming years. Senior government officials are calling for proportionality while respecting tradition, Latvian Radio reports on 16 April.
The presentation of swords to officers is one of the oldest and most symbolically significant traditions of the Latvian army. It dates back to 1920 and continues to this day as a mark of respect for new officers. This ceremony is rooted not only in Latvian military history, but also in European officer culture, where the sword has long been a symbol of strength, honour and loyalty.
The sword is presented as a token of the officer’s affiliation to the leadership of the armed forces and their readiness to serve and defend the country. Traditionally, this symbolic weapon is presented to officers by the President of the Republic, especially at ceremonial occasions such as graduations of the National Defence Academy. In some cases, the sword is also awarded for outstanding merit or on important anniversaries.
At the same time, the sword is also part of the soldier’s uniform, which is regulated by the Cabinet of Ministers Regulation No 26 “Regulations on Soldiers’ Uniforms and Distinguishing Insignia”.
EUR 900,000 is the maximum amount earmarked for this purpose in the defence ministry’s central procurement plan for the four-year period from 2026 to 2030, the LETA news agency has found out from the defence ministry.
The procurement is planned to be launched next year. The amount to be spent on the procurement will depend on the number of swords ordered by the National Armed Forces in a given year. This means that it is not envisaged to use the entire maximum amount of the contract at once. The current contract costs up to EUR 600 per sword.
Defence Minister Andris Sprūds (Progressives) announced on the “X” platform that he had ordered an evaluation of the specifications and the volumes of the procurement. He points out that “the tradition of the officers is honourable, but such costs should be carefully assessed and reduced.” He also adds that the strengthening of combat capabilities is an absolute priority.
Ainars Latkovskis (New Unity), head of the Saeima’s National Security Commission, stressed that this should be completely reviewed. The tradition should not be abandoned, but the amount earmarked for it is “huge and inadequate”.
“I think anyone in Latvia can see with the naked eye what the security situation is in our region. If the Ministry of Defence has included such a sum in our defence budget, then I consider it a total misunderstanding of the situation, a failure to take into account the reality of the situation. It is clear that we have to continue the traditions of our Latvian army and officers, but to allocate such a large sum at this moment – now that is madness,” said Latkovskis.
President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs said in a press conference on Wednesday that the National Armed Forces are not only about equipment and training – they are also about traditions, which have a long and important history. He pointed out that the public follows closely every defence sector plan and procurement, which is good, but what is important now is to find a reasonable and proportionate solution, and he is confident that the Minister of Defence will be able to achieve this.
“However, it is important not to go from one ditch to another. What I have often said is that maybe this time we will go down the middle of the road and find a solution that really respects both tradition and military culture, and is also reasonable and proportionate. At this point, I think it is also important to remember in this discussion the work, the service that soldiers also do,” the President said.
Finance Minister Arvils Ašeradens (New Unity) also said in an interview with LTV’s “Morning Panorama” programme that the Ministry of Defence should look very carefully at the idea to buy parade swords for EUR 900,000.
“I am not an expert, but I think that if we look at the modern battlefield, these are not the most effective weapons,” said Ašeradens.
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