Latvian PM says banning Victory Day festivities may be a nation-wide issue

Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš does not exclude the possibility that the decision regarding the ban of Victory Day festivities on 9 May could be made on national level.
«9 May means nothing else but the glorification of our country’s occupation. Call it what you like, but these are the facts,» said Latvia’s PM in his interview to TV3 programme 900 seconds on Wednesday, 23 March.
He reminded that the entire world and Latvia commemorates the victims of WWII on 8 May. And now there is a war in Ukraine – a war against democracy and a war that is basically against «our society».
«On 9 May there should not be any processions that glorify our country’s occupation, especially now, because the country that is being glorified is the one that wages a war,» stresses the official, inviting people to commemorate their relatives on 8 May, when all people can be equal in their emotions.
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«It is possible this is the solution, but it is unclear what other municipalities have to say about this. I understand some may be too frightened to make one other other decision,» said Kariņš, commenting if the decision on banning 9 May festivities should be made in a centralized, national level. The politician also suggested keeping in mind that Latvia is not a vassal of the Russian Empire, but a free and democratic country with its own language, traditions and pride.
As previously reported, Riga’s Mayor Mārtiņš Staķis has invited Riga’s CEO to not issue permits for events near the monument to Soviet troops in Riga on 9 May. He said this in an interview to LTV programme De facto.
His personal opinion is that such an event should not happen and there is no place for it in Riga and Latvia.
He proposed organisers of the event to not come to the municipal administration to apply for the event. Even if the municipality fails to prohibit it, no selling, catering, audio equipment or fireworks will be allowed there.
Such an event would be considered a celebration of death, said Staķis.