Legal status of the honorary consular officers: Theory and practice in Latvia

Rıga Stradiņš University, Faculty of Law, Riga, Latvia

Abstract

Honorary consuls are not professional diplomats, it means, they do not make a living as diplomats. They usually do live and work as well as pay taxes in the country where they operate while they do represent their native country on a voluntary/not-salaried/ basis until their appointments are revoked. Honorary consuls have limited authorization to act and conduct on behalf of their native country; they have the honour to serve their respected country and they are usually selected/appointed by their merits. Legal regime relating to honorary consular officers and consular posts headed by such officers is regulated by Vienna Convention on Consular Relations from 1963. According to the Article 59 of the mentioned convention the receiving State shall take such steps as may be necessary to protect the consular premises of a consular post headed by an honorary consular officer against any intrusion or damage and to prevent any disturbance of the peace of the consular post or impairment of its dignity. Similarly, the receiving State is under a duty to accord to an honorary consular officer such protection as may be required by reason of his official position. If criminal proceedings are instituted against an honorary consular officer, he must appear before the competent authorities. Comparative and analytical research methods are used for this paper. The author of this article proposes to introduce a special number sign for cars of the honorary consuls in Latvia, thereby showing special respect for foreign honorary consuls.