Latvia plans to declare 9 May the Day of Commemoration of Victims of War in Ukraine

On Thursday, 7 April, Latvia’s Saeima Human Rights and Public Affairs Committee decided to hand the parliament the legislative draft on naming 9 May as the Day of Commemoration of Victims of War in Ukraine in Latvia.
The legislative draft was submitted by members of the ruling coalition Mārtiņš Šteins, Juris Pūce, Ainars Latkovskis, Krišjānis Feldmans, Raivis Dzintars.
The goal of this legislative draft, according to the committee, is turning Latvian residents’ attention towards Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine and ensure solidarity with Ukrainian people in the fight for Ukraine’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. This legislative draft will mean that the 9 May in all of Latvia will be named the Day of Commemoration of Victims of War in Ukraine, honouring the civilians and troops who died in Russia’s military aggression in Ukraine.
During this day of commemoration it will be required to hoist the flag of Ukraine next to Latvia’s flag at all public buildings, buildings owned by private legal persons and associations, as well as apartment homes, Riga Castle, the State President’s Residence, Saeima and Cabinet of Ministers buildings.
It is also proposed as part of the legislative draft to not organize any public festivities and celebrations and for municipal administrations to not issue permits for public events.
The legislative draft also provides for municipal administrations to annul permits issued for this year’s 9 May events if they were issued before the law has come to force.
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The legislative also provides municipal administrations the right to ban gatherings, processions or protests, except situations when gatherings, processions or protests meet the nature of the day of commemoration.
It is planned for the legislative draft to come to force on the next day after promulgation and lose its power on 11 May 2022.
Authors of the legislative draft remind that on 9 May countries of the former Soviet Union generally celebrate the victory of the Soviet Red Army over Nazi Germany.
In Latvia there are many Latvian residents who keep this tradition alive by celebrating the so-called Victory Day even though this day in Eastern Europe is associated by many with the occupation and annexation of Baltic States by USSR.