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Russian diplomat bashes Latvia for banning Soviet military uniforms in public

Earlier in April, the Saeima endorsed the amendments, which stipulate imposing a ban on wearing any military uniform of the USSR and Nazi Germany at public events
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova  Artyom Geodakyan/TASS
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
© Artyom Geodakyan/TASS

MOSCOW, April 9. /TASS/. The amendments to a law on public gatherings, marches and pickets approved by the Latvian parliament that slap a ban on wearing, demonstrating and any other use of the Soviet Armed Forces’ uniforms during public events are an insult to the memories of Soviet soldiers, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Tuesday.

On April 4, Latvia’s Saeima (unicameral parliament) endorsed the amendments by a majority of votes that stipulate imposing a ban on wearing any military uniform of the USSR and Nazi Germany at public events. Moscow believes that this actually equates one with the other.

"We are outraged by this obscene legislation, which can only be branded as mockery of the memories of those Soviet soldiers who lost their lives while liberating Latvia. What makes it particularly cynical is the fact that this bill was passed on the eve of the anniversary of the Victory [over Nazism - TASS] clearly in order to demean veterans of the Great Patriotic War and spoil their holiday for them," the diplomat stressed.

"We expect to receive an appropriate principled assessment from Latvia’s partners in the European Union and specialized international agencies that are so scrupulous about human rights and historical issues, as long as it is not related to Western countries," Zakharova noted.