(MENAFN- UkrinForm) According to Ukrinform, this was reported by ERR.

"Just as we have the Conservative People's Party of Estonia (EKRE) here in Estonia, there are unfortunately several political forces in Latvia as well for whom women's rights and safety hold no value," Michal said on social media, ERR claimed.

Michal stressed that the Istanbul Convention is an essential protective instrument that helps societies and states combat domestic violence.

“Nonsense and fabrications are being used to discredit the [Council of Europe] Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence. Loud, false rhetoric to drown out the voices quieted by personal experience,” the Prime Minister stated.

He recalled that during his tenure as Minister of Justice, he witnessed how authorities and law enforcement lacked a clear approach to tackling domestic violence - but that situation was later transformed.

“Violence isn't just a family matter; it's a public issue,” Michal emphasized, adding that this marked the end of the Soviet-era mindset, when domestic violence against women was regarded as a“private family matter.”

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The Prime Minister called Latvia's decision a step in the wrong direction and expressed support for his Latvian counterpart Evika Siliņa, urging society to stand firmly on the side of the most vulnerable.

As reported, the Latvian Parliament on Thursday voted to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention after a 13-hour session of intense debate. The convention aims to support women who have suffered from violence.

Photo: Eero Vabamägi

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