About the changes in the counting of time in The Republic of Latvia

Liene Kanepe Liene_Kanepe at lm.gov.lv
Thu Sep 17 08:30:06 UTC 1998


     I have tried to collect information about all changes in the counting
of time in Latvia. I asked about this matter Scientific Secretary of the
Institute of Astronomy of The University of Latvia Dr. paed Mr. Ilgonis
Vilks. I also searched the correct data in juridical acts and I found some
juridical documents about  changes in the counting of  time in Latvia  from
1981:
-  Act No.35 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 22 January,1981
on the order of counting of time on the territory of Latvian SSR;
- Act No.592 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 24 September,
1984 on changes in the Act No.35 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR
of 22 January,1981 on the order of counting of time on the territory of
Latvian SSR;
- Act No.81 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 22 March,1989 on
the changes of counting of time on the territory of Latvian SSR;
- Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia of 21
January, 1997 on transition to Summer time.

      Act No.35 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 22
January,1981 on the order of counting of time on the territory of Latvian
SSR  according to the Act No. 925 of the Council of Ministers of USSR of 24
October, 1980 established such order of counting of time: all year round
the time of 2nd time zona + 1 hour, in addition turning the hands of the
clock 1 hour forward on the 1st April at 0.00 o'clock (GMT 31st March
21:00) and 1 hour backward on the 1st October at 0.00 o'clock (GMT 30
September 20:00).
     Act No.592 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 24 September,
1984 on changes in the Act No.35 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR
of 22 January,1981 on the order of counting of time on the territory of
Latvian SSR according to the Act No. 967 of the Council of Ministers of
USSR of 13 September, 1984 established such order of counting of time on
the territory of Latvian SSR: all year round the time of 2nd time zona + 1
hour, in addition turning the hands of the clock 1 hour forward on the last
Sunday of March at 02.00 o'clock (GMT  23:00 on the previous day) and 1
hour backward on the last  Sunday of September at 03.00 o'clock (GMT 23:00
on the previous day).
     Act No.81 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 22 March,1989
on the changes of counting of time on the territory of Latvian SSR
according to the Act No. 227 of the Council of Ministers of USSR of 14
March, 1989 established such order of counting of time:
since the last Sunday of March, 1989 in Lithuanian SSR, Latvian SSR,
Estonian SSR and Kaliningrad region of Russian Federation all year round
the time of 2nd time zona (Moscow time minus one hour). On the territory of
Latvia transition to summer time is performed on the last Sunday of March
at 02.00 o'clock (GMT  0:00), turning the hands of the clock 1 hour forward
. The end of daylight saving time is performed on  the last  Sunday of
September at 03.00 o'clock (GMT 0:00), turning the hands of the clock 1
hour backward. Exception is 26 March of 1989, when we must not turn the
hands of the clock. According the Act No.81 of the Council of Ministers of
Latvian SSR of 22 March,1989   Act No.35 of the Council of Ministers of
Latvian SSR of 22 January,1981 and Act No.592 of the Council of Ministers
of Latvian SSR of 24 September, 1984 lost validity.
     In 1996, when the European Union changed the end of daylight savings
time to the last Sunday of October, Latvia had not changed the end of
daylight savings time. And this is pardonable for Latvia, because it is not
a member - state of the European Union. Latvia changed the end of daylight
savings time to the last Sunday of October only in 1997. Then were accepted
the Regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Latvia of 21
January, 1997 on transition to Summer time. According these regulations Act
No.81 of the Council of Ministers of Latvian SSR of 22 March,1989 lost
validity and was established the same order of daylight savings time
settings as in the States of the European Union. From the  1997 Latvia
changes from Winter time to Summer time on the last Sunday of March at 3
a.m.(Latvian time) or 1.00 GMT. It changes from Summer time to Winter time
on the last Sunday of October at  4 a.m. (Latvian time) or 1 GMT.

     Here are exact data for Latvia in the period from 1981.
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|The date when |The hour (GMT)|The character |Time offset   |
|time changes  |when time     |of time       |from GMT for  |
|were performed|changes were  |changes       |the Republic  |
|              |performed     |              |of Latvia     |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |Time offset   |
  |from GMT for  |
  |Moscow        |
  |(Russia)      |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|31st March,   |    21:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1981          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30 September, |    20:00     | (-1 h Summer |   3 hours    |
|1981          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|31 st March,  |    21:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1982          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30 September, |    20:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1982          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|31 st March,  |    21:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1983          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30  September,|    20:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1983          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|31 st March,  |    21:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1984          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|29 September, |    23:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1984          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30 th March,  |    23:00     | (+1 h Summer |   4 hours    |
|1985          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|28  September,|    23:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1985          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|29 th March,  |    23:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1986          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|27 September, |    23:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1986          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|28 th March,  |    23:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1987          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|26 September, |    23:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1987          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|26 th March,  |    23:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   4 hours    |
|1988          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|24 September, |    23:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1988          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|25 th March,  |    23:00     |(+1 h Summer  |              |
|1989          |              |time in all   |   3 hours    |
|              |              |territory of  |              |
|              |              |USSR and  -1  |              |
|              |              |hour  in      |              |
|              |              |Latvia,       |              |
|              |              |Lithuania and |              |
|              |              |Estonia)      |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |              |
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|

|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|24 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1989          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|24 th March,  |     0:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1990          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|29 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1990          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30 th  March, |     0:00     |(-1 h Decree  |   3 hours    |
|1991          |              |time in       |              |
|              |              |Russia, but   |              |
|              |              |not in Latvia |              |
|              |              |and +1 h      |              |
|              |              |Summer time in|              |
|              |              |both states)  |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|29 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1991          |              |time),        |              |
|              |              |              |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   2 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|19 th January,|    01:00     |(+ 1 h Decree |   2 hours    |
|1992          |              |time in       |              |
|              |              |Russia, but no|              |
|              |              |changes in    |              |
|              |              |Latvia)       |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|28 th March,  |     0:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1992          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|26 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1992          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|27 th March,  |     0:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1993          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|25 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1993          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|26 th March,  |     0:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1994          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|24 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1994          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|25 th March,  |     0:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1995          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|23 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1995          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30 th March,  |     0:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1996          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|28 September, |     0:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1996          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|30 th March,  |    01:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1997          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|26 October,   |    01:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1997          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|29 th March,  |    01:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1998          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|25 October,   |    01:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1998          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|28 th March,  |    01:00     |(+1 h Summer  |   3 hours    |
|1999          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   4 hours    |
  >--------------|
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
|31 October,   |    01:00     |(-1 h Summer  |   2 hours    |
|1999          |              |time)         |              |
|--------------+--------------+--------------+-------------->
  >--------------|
  |   3 hours    |
  >--------------|



     In the period from the end of the Second World War on the territory of
Latvia (13 October, 1944 for Riga) until the 31st March, 1981, GMT 21:00
the time offset from GMT for Latvia  was 3 hours. It seems, that before 13
October, 1944 it was 2 hours, except the period, when Latvia was
incorporated in the Soviet Union (approximatly from 05 August, 1940 until
21 June, 1941) and the period, when during the Second World War Latvia  was
occupied by Germany.
     If I find the more correct data about the time offset from GMT for
Latvia in the period before 1944, I will mail You.

     With the best regards from The Republic of Latvia, Riga
Liene Kanepe





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