RIGA, April 29 (LETA) - There will be no public events in Daugavpils on May, Mayor Andrejs Elksnins (Harmony) told State Police chief Armands Ruks on Friday.

Ruks paid a visit to Daugavpils on Friday to meet with colleagues from the Latgale regional police department and Daugavpils Mayor Elksnins. During the meeting both officials exchanged views on identified and possible security risks in the city and region, as well as discussed cooperation between the city council and municipal policy, including in the prevention of undesirable incidents on May 9, which this year has been designated as a day for the remembrance of Ukraine's war victims. 

Elksnins said that in compliance with the approved provisions, there will be no marches or any other public events on May 9, the day of mourning. 

Elksnins indicated that residents of Daugavpils are patriots of Latvia and the city and that they regard the war in Ukraine as a tragedy that cannot be justified or supported. 

"I was reassured in the conversation with Elksnins that the Daugavpils city government understands the situation, expressing a clear position that Russia's war in Ukraine is not acceptable. It cannot be acceptably to anyone who has compassion for other people's suffering," Ruks said.  

"Remembering victims of World War II is each family's individual matter. However, it is necessary to realize that a public remembrance of war victims means a risk to become an actor in Russia's propaganda that can be cast as support for Russia's war in Ukraine. This must not be permitted," the police chief said. 

As reported, on April 7 the Saeima passed a bill designating May 9 a day of remembrance for victims of the war in Ukraine. The Saeima also adopted a proposal to ban fireworks on May 9 and 10, 2022.

The aim of the legislation is to draw the attention of Latvian society to Russia's military aggression in Ukraine and to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the struggle for the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Ukrainian state. According to the bill, May 9 will be designated a day of remembrance for the victims of the war in Ukraine, honoring the Ukrainian civilians and military personnel who have suffered or died as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The bill also stipulates that no public events and festivities may be organized on May 9 in Latvia.

The authors of the bill also remind that on May 9, celebrations of the Soviet army's over Nazi Germany were organized in the former Soviet Union republics. In Latvia, too, part of society still celebrates Victory Day on May 9, even though this date has long been seen in Eastern Europe as the day of the occupation and annexation of the Baltic countries by the Soviet Union.

Before the pandemic, massive public events were organized on May 9 at the monument to Soviet soldiers in Riga, as well as in several other Latvian cities, including Daugavpils.