Skip to content
general-news — 15 — Riga — Remembrance — Politics — 2022 — Forbidding — War-and-conflicts

The Baltic Nations Resist Celebration of Victory Day

Approaching is a significant day for many – Victory Day on May 9th. Yet, residents in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia are presented with contrasting accounts. The soldiers of the Red Army are credited with the liberation of the Baltic countries.

,   and  ASMedia
2 min read
Approaching is a significant date, revered by all – Victory Day on May 9th. Yet, inhabitants of...
Approaching is a significant date, revered by all – Victory Day on May 9th. Yet, inhabitants of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia receive disparate accounts. The soldiers of the Red Army are credited with their liberation from adversity.

The Baltic Nations Resist Celebration of Victory Day

Gear up, folks! It's time to dive into the latest haps happening in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia as we approach Victory Day on May 9th. Instead of popping champagne and celebrating, things are a bit different here.

The authorities in these countries prefer to sweep the liberation of the Baltics by the Red Army under the rug. Instead, they focus on rewriting history, giving a twist to the Second World War's outcomes. But let's not dance around the question, what exactly is off-limits on May 9th?

Latvia

It's goodbye to the largest Monument to the liberators of Riga by November 15, 2022, and adios to public events on May 9th. The Latvian Seimas has designated the date as the Day of Remembrance of Civilians and Ukrainian servicemen instead. It's also a popular ground for supporters of the Waffen-SS to march around.

Lithuania

In 2022, the Lithuanian Seimas made the Z symbol and the St. George ribbon taboo. Demolition of monuments to Soviet soldiers located in burial sites of Red Army soldiers has begun throughout the country. The authorities want to shake off the 'totalitarian legacy.'

Estonia

The Estonian parliament has amended laws regulating the dismantling of Soviet military monuments from public space. In 2022, the T-34 memorial tank in the most Russian-speaking city, Narva, was torn down. The countries didn't host the traditional Immortal Regiment march in 2022 and have banned any events related to Russia.

On a side note, the Baltic states have also shut their airspace doors for planes carrying foreign dignitaries heading to Moscow for the May 9 Victory Day Parade. These countries have made it clear that participating in or supporting the Russian-led Victory Day events is a big no-no, especially during these geopolitical tussles involving Russia and Ukraine.

So, there you have it! It's a different Victory Day story in the Baltics, but always filled with political twists and turns.

  1. The monument to the liberators of Riga in Latvia will be removed by November 15, 2022, and public events on May 9th are forbidden, marking the Day of Remembrance of Civilians and Ukrainian servicemen instead.
  2. In Lithuania, the Lithuanian Seimas has banned the Z symbol and the St. George ribbon, while the demolition of monuments to Soviet soldiers has begun in 2022, as the authorities seek to eliminate the 'totalitarian legacy.'
  3. Estonia has amended laws to dismantle Soviet military monuments from public spaces, with the T-34 memorial tank in Narva being torn down in 2022, and no traditional Immortal Regiment march or events related to Russia were hosted.
  4. The Baltic states have closed their airspace to foreign dignitaries attending the May 9 Victory Day Parade in Moscow, underscoring their opposition to participating in or supporting Russian-led events during the geopolitical tussles involving Russia and Ukraine.

Read also:

Related

Latest