Latvia: SS veterans celebrate, minister who joined them is fired

18 March 2014

2 minute read

On Sunday, 16 March, hundreds of Latvians attended a traditional march in Riga celebrating Latvian veterans who fought alongside German Nazis during WWII. The Associated Press reports that a government minister was fired for stating his intention to attend the event.

After attending religious services at the cathedral, marchers set out for the Freedom Monument in the center of Riga. They laid red and white roses representing the colors of the state flag there.

In an adjacent park, as has become an annual ritual, a counter-protest featured a smaller group of ethnic Russians shouting various anti-Fascist slogans, such as "Shame on the Fascists". Police supervised the gatherings to make sure no incidents occurred between the two camps.

The march by Latvian veterans of the Waffen SS units is held regularly on 16 March. Once called Latvia’s "Legion Day", the government removed it from the list of state holidays in the year 2000.

While 16 March is no longer a state holiday, many Latvians still perceive it as an opportunity to commemorate their fallen countrymen who fought alongside German soldiers against Soviet occupation. Latvian Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma said on Saturday that she had fired Latvian Minister for Environmental Protection and Regional Development Einars Cilinksis because he had indicated that he intended to attend the march.

Cilinksis insisted on attending even though Straujuma warned him that it would cause tensions in Latvia’s relations with Russia for a member of the Latvian Government to attend the event. The minister was convinced that, as a "Latvian patriot", he had to attend.

"Taking into account that the minister has said today he would join the march and would not resign by himself, the prime minister will later today sign an order for his dismissal," Reuters quoted Straujuma’s spokesperson, Andis Blinds on Friday. Interfax reported that not long thereafter the Latvian PM’s press service reported that Cilinksis had been dismissed.