Latvian lawmaker calls for increased national defense training hours

Raimonds Bergmanis, head of the Saeima Defense, Interior and Corruption Prevention Commission, has proposed increasing the duration of National Defense Training (VAM) in Latvia. Bergmanis stated that the current compromise of 112 hours is insufficient for comprehensive content mastery and argued for a return to at least 140 hours.

The proposal follows a study by the Saeima Analytical Service regarding citizens' willingness to defend their countries in the event of military threats. The study revealed that in autumn 2025, 37% of Latvian residents expressed readiness to fight for their country, compared to 64% in Finland.

Bergmanis emphasized that national defense relies on societal conviction, trust in state institutions, and a sense of national belonging, noting that Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine underscores the importance of societal unity and practical readiness.