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Old March 23rd, 2022 #41
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Latvian capital to rename Russian embassy address to Independent Ukraine street


Reuters
March 4, 2022

VILNIUS, March 4 (Reuters) - The party coalition govenring Latvia's capital Riga agreed on Friday to change the name of the street where Russia's embassy is located to Independent Ukraine Street, a statement said.
https://www.reuters.com/world/latvia...et-2022-03-04/
 
Old May 14th, 2022 #42
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Canada to deploy a general and staff to Latvia for new NATO unit -PM Trudeau


By Steve Scherer
May 12, 2022



OTTAWA, May 12 (Reuters) - Canada will deploy a general and six staff officers to a new NATO unit in Latvia that will help plan, coordinate and integrate regional military activities, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday.

In response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Canada expanded and extended its participation a North Atlantic Treaty Organization's battlegroup there that also includes troops from Italy, Spain, Poland and Slovakia.

The general and staff officers will "be part of a first of its kind unit," Trudeau told reporters at a joint news conference with Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins. "It'll serve as a continued important part of our enhancements to NATO's defense and deterrence capabilities."
https://www.reuters.com/world/americ...au-2022-05-12/
 
Old May 24th, 2022 #43
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Latvia keeps agitating against Russia:

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Baltics and Slovakia call for the reconstruction of Ukraine at the expense of the aggressor and its supporters at ECOFIN meeting


2022-05-24 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - At the ECOFIN meeting in Brussels on Tuesday, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Slovakia urged the confiscation of frozen assets belonging to sanctioned Russians to be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine, representatives of the Ministry of Finance (FM) told LETA.

A statement from the four Member States states that active warfare has led to a drastic decline, cessation or destruction of production and agriculture in Ukraine, and a declining tax revenue. The situation is exacerbated by large-scale misappropriation of assets and export goods by Russia, as well as significant infrastructure damage. As a result, the state's ability to ensure the continuous operation of public services and the provision of social services has been reduced to a minimum.

The International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine's current account deficit will reach around EUR 14.3 billion by June. Reconstruction of Ukraine after the war will also require significant financial resources, the ministry said.
https://www.baltictimes.com/baltics_...cofin_meeting/
 
Old May 26th, 2022 #44
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Saeima moves ahead law on removing Soviet symbols

26 may 2022

After a heated debate, the Saeima supported the adoption of the new draft legislation, which would make mandatory the removal of objects glorifying the Soviet and Nazi regimes, in the first reading on May 26. The parliament will view it in the second and final reading on June 16.

The Law On the Prohibition of the Exposition of Objects Glorifying the Soviet and Nazi Regime and the Disassembly thereof in the territory of the Republic of Latvia provides for the dismantling of specified objects by November 15 of this year. The government will have to establish a list of monuments to be dismantled by July 30. The future law will also apply to the monument in Uzvaras Park.

Dismantling of sites will be an obligation for the local government in the territory of which the site is located. It is planned that dismantling will be financed primarily by donations from natural and legal persons, if any, for this purpose. The other necessary funds will be financed equally from the budget of the State and the relevant local government.

The law will allow local governments to propose dismantling, regardless of the ownership of the site, without coordination with the owner or legal possessor of the land or object.

In total, there are around 300 monuments, memorial plates and memorial sites dedicated to the Soviet occupation regime and the army, according to the bill's annotation. Burial sites are not included in the law.

The debate over the bill was passionate and loud. Atis Lejiņš (New Unity) stressed that the monument in Uzvaras Park is a symbol of the desire to re-establish the Soviet Union and must therefore be demolished. His remarks were accompanied by applause from colleagues.

On the other hand, several members of the opposition insisted that the monument should not be demolished.

Parliamentarian Sergejs Dolgopolovs (Harmony) said that a history with both dark and light pages cannot be erased, so it is pointless to dismantle the monument as the memory remains in people's minds.

The bill was supported by 64 members in the first reading, 18 were against.

https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/...mbols.a458641/
 
Old June 26th, 2022 #45
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Decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status will play an important role in implementing necessary reforms - Karins


2022-06-26 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - The decision by the European Council to grant Ukraine and Moldova EU candidate status will play an important role for these countries in implementing necessary reforms, Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins (New Unity) believes.

Karins called the decision a historical one.

"Today at the European Council, we made a historic decision to grant Ukraine and Moldova the status of an EU candidate country. Remembering Latvia's experience on the way to the EU, today's decision will play an important role in implementing the necessary reforms in both new candidate countries," Karins wrote on his Twitter account.

As reported, European Union leaders on Thursday agreed to grant candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, in a show of support in the face of Russia's war.

"A historic moment. Today marks a crucial step on your path towards the EU," Michel wrote on Twitter during a summit in Brussels. "Our future is together."
https://www.baltictimes.com/decision...orms_-_karins/
 
Old June 29th, 2022 #46
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Riga to stop admitting more Ukrainian refugees from July 1 as it fails to get state support


2022-06-28 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - After failing to receive financial support from the central government, Riga will stop admitting more Ukraine war refugees from July 1 and will only continue to provide assistance to the refugees already living in the city, Riga Mayor Martins Stakis (For/Progressives) said at a news conference Tuesday.

Stakis indicated that because of the unresponsiveness of ministries in charge of dealing with these issues, the accommodation of refugees in the capital city and the operation of the refugee support center at the former Riga Technical University (RTU) building next to the City Hall are under threat.
(...)
At present, 1,800 Ukrainian civilians are living in Riga's hotels and other tourist accommodation establishments.
https://www.baltictimes.com/riga_to_...state_support/
 
Old July 5th, 2022 #47
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5 Jul, 2022 18:45 Home World News

NATO country eyes U-turn on mandatory military service


Latvia wants to double the size of its military with conscripts to deter Russia

Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks announced on Tuesday that Latvia would reintroduce conscription for young men and voluntary service for women from next year. Pabriks said that such a measure was necessary to deter “military aggression” from Russia, but the head of Latvia’s army doesn’t support the move.

Pabriks’ plan will be rolled out over five years, beginning with the intake of 1,000 voluntary recruits next January and ending with 7,000 conscripts joining the military every year within five years, the minister revealed on Twitter. Men aged between 18 and 27 will be eligible for conscription, while women of the same age will be allowed to volunteer for service.
https://www.rt.com/news/558434-latvi...itary-service/
 
Old July 19th, 2022 #48
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The accession of Finland and Sweden into NATO will also strengthen security situation in the Arctic - Kols


2022-07-14 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - The accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will strengthen the security situation in the Baltic Sea and also in the Arctic, the chairman of the Saeima's Foreign Affairs Committee Rihards Kols (National Alliance) told Latvian Television on Thursday, ahead of today's ratification vote of the NATO Accession Protocols for Finland and Sweden at parliament.

He said that the accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will strengthen the security and defense situation in the region, but not only in the Baltic Sea region. According to Kols, when both countries join NATO, all five Scandinavian countries will be NATO members, which will have to face Russian related challenges not only in the south of their territories.

"Russia is also "throwing" challenges to the north, in the Arctic. And we see that NATO members will now be represented by an overwhelming majority in the Arctic Council. This dimension is also very important, knowing that Russia has been very actively trying to militarize the Arctic region in recent decades, also in violation of international principles and agreements," the politician admitted.
https://www.baltictimes.com/the_acce...arctic_-_kols/
 
Old October 15th, 2022 #49
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Latvia: Refugees and migrants arbitrarily detained, tortured and forced to ‘voluntarily’ return to their countries


WORLD 14 OCTOBER 2022



Latvian authorities have violently pushed back refugees and migrants at the country’s borders with Belarus, subjecting many to grave human rights violations, including secret detention and even torture, according to new findings published in a report by Amnesty International.

Latvia: Return home or never leave the woods reveals the brutal treatment of migrants and refugees – including children – who have been held arbitrarily in undisclosed sites in the Latvian forest, and unlawfully and violently returned to Belarus.

Many faced beatings and electric shocks with tasers, including on their genitals. Some were unlawfully forced to return ‘voluntarily’ to their home countries.
https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/world-i...countries.html
 
Old November 9th, 2022 #50
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Latvia to spend EUR 42 million on measures related to asylum seekers in the coming years


2022-11-04 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - The European Commission has approved the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (PMIF) national program or activity plan for 2021-2027 in the amount of EUR 41.8 million euros, of which EUR 32 million will be co-financed by the EU, the Ministry of the Interior informed LETA.

Latvia has set the field of integration as a high-level priority. The PMIF aims to help effectively manage migration flows and to implement, strengthen and develop common asylum and immigration policies in response to growing migration challenges.

The field of asylum and migration in Latvia has been particularly relevant since 2021, when an increased interest of third-country nationals in Latvia was observed. Irregular migration has become a reality due to the unstable situation in the countries of Eastern Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East, as a result of which Latvia is experiencing provocations characteristic of a hybrid war, for example, the flow of illegal migration to Latvia facilitated by the Belarusian regime, the ministry notes.
https://www.baltictimes.com/latvia_t..._coming_years/
 
Old January 15th, 2023 #51
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Major explosion hits gas pipeline connecting Lithuania and Latvia


Lithuania’s gas transmission system operator Amber Grid told local media there were no clear signs of sabotage following an initial assessment

January 14, 2023
editor: REMIX NEWS author: THOMAS BROOKE



Flames rise after an explosion at a gas pipeline near Pasvalys, 175 km (109 miles) north of Vilnius, in northern Lithuania on Friday, Jan. 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Paulius Zidonis)

A major blast struck a pipeline carrying natural gas in the Pasvalys region of northern Lithuania on Friday, resulting in flames reaching up to 50 meters into the sky and prompting the evacuation of a nearby village.

The explosion hit the main gas pipeline operated by Amber Grid and was reported at around 5 p.m. near the village of Pasvalio Vienkiemiai.

“According to initial data, no people were injured. The fire is being extinguished by the fire brigades that immediately arrived on the scene,” Amber Grid said in a statement.
(...)
The affected pipeline, which was built in 1978 and had undergone recent maintenance, supplies gas to the northern part of Lithuania and neighboring Latvia.

“Sabotage cannot be ruled out,” tweeted Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks shortly after the blast. However, Amber Grid chief Nemunas Biknius told reporters that “according to the initial assessment, we do not see any sign of foul play.”

“The investigation will cover all possible options,” Biknius added.
https://rmx.news/lithuania/major-exp...ia-and-latvia/
 
Old January 28th, 2023 #52
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28 Jan, 2023 08:19 Home Russia & FSU

Moscow expels Baltic country ambassador


Hostile actions have “largely destroyed” bilateral ties, the Russian Foreign Ministry claimed

Latvia’s ambassador to Moscow, Maris Riekstins, has been ordered by Russia's Foreign Ministry to leave the country within two weeks. The Latvian charge d’affaires in Moscow, Dacija Rutka, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry on Friday, where she was served with a “strong protest” and informed of the decision.

Riga said on Monday it was downgrading the level of diplomatic ties, citing Russia’s military operation in Ukraine and “solidarity” with neighboring Estonia. Moscow and Tallinn are also mutually expelling ambassadors.

“We have stressed that the justification of this move by some kind of ‘solidarity’ with other Baltic countries is unacceptable,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

“They have ‘solidarity’ only in one thing: total Russophobia and the willingness to initiate hostile steps towards Russia that are being encouraged by the US and other unfriendly countries.”
https://www.rt.com/russia/570601-rus...an-ambassador/
 
Old February 4th, 2023 #53
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Polish president visits Latvia and agitates against Russia:

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I have nothing against a new iron curtain in Europe if it protects against Russia, says Polish president


Andrzej Duda discussed the Central and Eastern Europe security situation during his visit to Latvia, listing Russia’s imperialist policy as its main threat

February 03, 2023
editor: GRZEGORZ ADAMCZYK author: POLSKIERADIO24.PL via: POLSKIERADIO24.PL



Latvia's President Egils Levits, right, and Poland's President Andrzej Duda shake hands after their joint news conference following talks at the Presidential Palace in Riga, Latvia, Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023. (AP Photo/Roman Koksarov)

Polish President Andrzej Duda has insisted he does not have anything against a new iron curtain in Europe if it protects countries from Russia’s imperial policy.

Duda offered his remarks following a meeting in Riga with his Latvian counterpart, Egils Levits, during which he discussed the current security challenges facing the continent.

The Polish president highlighted the global perspective on security and how the future has changed due to the events of the past year. He said that the Baltic states had warned the world that “communism in Russia and the Great Russian mentality had not disappeared from the face of the earth.”

“The Soviet Union did not collapse,” Duda claimed. “We now witness its revival, this explosion of Russia’s imperial mindset, that has resulted in aggression against Eastern Europe,” he added.

According to Duda, “Russkiy mir” (“Russian peace”) means poverty, enslavement, and misery. “We never agreed to enslavement, and we never will. What Russia has done in recent times has shown the world that any tales of perpetual peace were a fantasy.
https://rmx.news/poland/i-have-nothi...ish-president/
 
Old March 10th, 2023 #54
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Ukraine war: Latvia sends cars seized from drunk drivers to help Kyiv


16 hours ago



The impounded cars have been transferred to a charity delivering donated vehicles to Ukraine

By Henri Astier
BBC News

Cars confiscated from drunk drivers in Latvia are being sent to Ukraine, under a new scheme designed to help the war effort there.

Eight seized vehicles left a car pound in the capital, Riga, on Wednesday and are due to cross the border soon.

It is the first convoy to be sent under the plan, approved by the Latvian parliament last month.

MPs agreed to allow the transfer of state-owned cars to the Ukrainian military and hospitals.

Late last year, Latvia changed the law so that drivers found with 1.5mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood - three times the legal limit - could have their vehicles seized and sold by the government.

Latvia has among the worst rates of drinking and driving in Europe, according to public broadcaster LSM, with an estimated 3,500 cases a year.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64903201
 
Old March 17th, 2023 #55
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Several hundreds of people remember Latvian Legionnaires by Freedom Monument in Riga

2023-03-16

RIGA - Today, several hundreds of people in a procession and by laying flowers by the Freedom Monument in Riga remembered the Latvian Legionnaires, soldiers that were drafted to fight on the side of the German forces in World War II, LETA observed.

A procession to the Freedom Monument followed a church service at the St.John's Church.

Participants of the procession were carrying Latvian, Estonian and Ukrainian national flags and were signing songs. There were Saeima lawmakers from the National Alliance among participants of the procession.

The police officers were on the site, observing the event.

LETA also observed one person protesting against the event - Andrejs Pagors (Latvia's Union of Russians, LKS), an aide to MEP Tatjana Zdanoka (LKS) and Jelgava city council lawmaker. Pagors was holding a poster, saying that Latvian Legionnaires gave oath to Adolf Hitler and killed residents of Zlekas village.

Soon Pagors was escorted by the police away from the Freedom Square.

There were no other major incidents and the flower laying ceremony ended calmly.

https://www.baltictimes.com/several_...ument_in_riga/
 
Old March 17th, 2023 #56
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Participants of the procession were carrying Latvian, Estonian and Ukrainian national flags and were signing songs.
Funny how ZOG encourages this, but in the West just complaining about the mass invasion of muds and you get brutally shut down.
Ukraine rag kosher, Confederate flag a hate crime.
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Old April 19th, 2023 #57
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Latvia serves as example for other countries, being among top contributors of military assistance to Ukraine - Austin


2023-04-14 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - Latvia has shown tremendous leadership in providing security assistance to Ukraine, and is among the top contributors of military assistance to Ukraine relative to the size of its economy, said US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin during his meeting with Latvian Defense Minister Inara Murniece (National Alliance).

During the meeting in Pentagon, the officials discussed the security situation in the region and Ukraine, and both agreed that Russia's war in Ukraine has global and far-reaching implications, LETA learned from the Latvian Defense Ministry.

"Latvia and the US will continue to provide all possible support to Ukraine in order to facilitate Ukraine's victory in the fight with Russia for its own country and the rights to decide its own future. We may not allow that the international society gets used to the war in Ukraine. It is in the interest of the whole democratic world to achieve a complete victory of Ukraine and the defeat of Russia, because only this will allow the restoration of a rule-based order in the long term and ensure long-term peace in our part of the world," the minister said.
https://www.baltictimes.com/latvia_s...aine_-_austin/
 
Old April 28th, 2023 #58
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Command elements of new NATO brigade could be deployed in Latvia this summer - Murniece


2023-04-26 LETA/TBT Staff



RIGA - Until the NATO summit in Vilnius, planned for the beginning of July, the command elements of the new NATO brigade could be deployed in Latvia, Defense Minister Inara Murniece (National Alliance) said in an interview with Latvian Television last night.

She emphasized that the new NATO defense concept to protect NATO territory "from the first minute and from the first centimeter of an invasion" is "on the table" for the decision makers and plans are being developed for its implementation. This indicates a significant turning point in NATO's thinking.

The politician, however, did not name specific deadlines, when and how the introduction of the new concept will be implemented. She expressed that the capabilities are currently being generated to implement this defense concept.

Murniece pointed out that there are plans in Latvia to create a combat-capable brigade under the leadership of Canada, and intensive cooperation with the Canadians is underway to realize this goal. Murniece plans to go to Canada soon to discuss in detail with the officials of this country how and in what time frame this goal could be achieved.

She expressed her hope that by the time of the NATO summit in Vilnius, the command elements of this brigade could be deployed in Latvia and there could be clarity about the progress towards achieving this goal. Murniece did not reveal specific terms when these goals could be implemented.
https://www.baltictimes.com/command_...er_-_murniece/
 
Old April 29th, 2023 #59
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The US and Latvian training programme will strengthen a risk-based supervision of the capital market


2023-04-24 Latvijas Banka



From 24 April to 28 April, Latvijas Banka will host training during which the US experts will educate the representatives of Latvia's financial supervisory and law enforcement authorities on a risk-based supervision of the Latvian capital market.

The training programme developed by the Office of Technical Assistance of the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Latvijas Banka is designed to be a forum for the exchange of best practices in the supervision of the Latvian financial instrument market to ensure the protection of investor rights and facilitate a more effective development of the capital market.

Upon opening the training session, Christopher Robinson, US Ambassador, highlighted: "The visit of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission is of high importance: the strength of the relationship between the US and its partners lies not only in policies and political treaties, but also in institutional cooperation."
https://www.baltictimes.com/the_us_a...apital_market/
 
Old May 11th, 2023 #60
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May 10, 2023 5:49 PM GMT+2

Canada, Latvia to jointly train Ukrainian soldiers starting Monday


Reuters



Ukrainian servicemen load ammunition for a machine gun at their position at a front line, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Donetsk region, Ukraine May 5, 2023. Ukraine Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty/Serhii Nuzhnenko via REUTERS

OTTAWA, May 10 (Reuters) - Canadian and Latvian armed forces on Monday will begin training Ukrainian soldiers in Latvia, Canada's Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Wednesday.

The training program will add to other Canadian efforts to train Ukrainian soldiers in the United Kingdom and in Poland, Anand told reporters in Ottawa. Canada has deployed about 800 troops in Latvia, which borders Russia and Belarus and has Canada's largest foreign military deployment.
https://www.reuters.com/world/canada...ay-2023-05-10/
 
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