Ministry of Defence of the Republic of LatviaGovernment

The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia (Latvian: Latvijas Republikas Aizsardzības ministrija) is the Latvian government ministry in charge of the formation and implementation of national security and defence policy, and for the overall management and control of related subordinate agencies, such as the Latvian National Armed Forces. The ministry is headed by the politically appointed Minister of Defence. The ministry was established on 22 November 1918 as the Ministry of Protection (Latvian: Apsardzības ministrija), just four days after the proclamation of the independence of Latvia. Jānis Zālītis, a member of the People's Council of Latvia, was appointed as minister. After the end of the Latvian War of Independence, in 1922 the ministry was renamed as the Ministry of War (Latvian: Kara ministrija).