The Saeima will decide today in the final reading on the proposal of deputies Artus Kaimiņš and Linda Medne (K) in the Law on Security of Public Entertainment and Festivities to prohibit holding public events closer than 200 meters from any monument glorifying the victory and memory of the Soviet army or its soldiers.
Earlier in the discussions of the meeting of the Commission for Human Rights and Public Affairs, it was stated that the ban would also apply to the organization of events next to the monument in the Victory Park.
The law defines a public event as a celebration, memorial, entertainment, sporting or recreational event in a public place planned and organized by a natural or legal person, regardless of ownership.
The initial version of the amendments to the law was submitted by the Greens and Farmers Union (ZZS). One of the aims of the amendment is to prohibit the use of symbols glorifying military aggression in public events, including the use of the letter “Z” for this purpose.
Therefore, the amendments to the law support the proposal to prohibit the use of symbols used in stylistics identifying military aggression and war crimes, unless there is no purpose to justify or glorify these crimes.
The amendments also support the proposal of Neighbor and Medne, which prohibits the promotion and glorification of events containing the ideology of the Nazi and communist regimes in public events, including birthdays, commemorations of battles and victories, and celebrations of occupation of free and independent territories.
Exceptions to this rule will be cases where the purpose of these measures is not related to the glorification of totalitarian regimes or the justification of the crimes committed, or these measures will be used for educational, scientific or artistic purposes.
Penalties for violating the rules for organizing and conducting public entertainment and festivities will also be increased. In the future, it will be possible to impose a warning or a fine of up to 400 euros on a natural person and up to 3,200 euros on a legal person.
As previously informed in the parliamentary press service, the chairman of the commission Kaimiņš emphasizes that in condemning Russia’s military activities in Ukraine, a strong position should be expressed that symbols glorifying Russian military aggression, such as the letters “Z”, “V” or other symbols used for this purpose , “no place for public events”.
As reported, the Committee on Legal Affairs previously supported other amendments to the law, which provide for an administrative penalty for the public use of the symbol of the Russian armed forces in the war against Ukraine.
The initial offer in another law was submitted by ZZS deputies Viktors Valainis, Uldis Augulis, Edgars Tavars, Didzis Šmits, Armands Krauze, Janīna Jalinska, Gundars Daudze, Jānis Vucāns, Māris Kučinskis and Raimonds Bergmanis.
Valainis explained earlier that it would be a ban on symbols used by the Russian armed forces in the war against Ukraine, such as “Z” and “V”. The politician stressed that such amendments would be a clear signal that their use is unacceptable.
The agenda of the sitting is available here.
–
