May 9 is a festivity of aggressor state Russia - president

RIGA - May 9 is a festivity of aggressor state Russia but not Latvia, President Egils Levits wrote on Twitter. 

In Levits' view, celebrating May 9 means supporting an international crime, which is impermissible. 

Levits indicates in his tweet that Latvia, just like the rest of Europe, remembers victims of World War II on May 8. 

As reported, Riga Mayor Martins Stakis (For/Progressives) will call on the capital city's executive director not to authorize the annual May 9 celebration by a Soviet-era memorial in Riga. 

He called on event organizers to not event seek the authorization of the event. Even if the local government does not manage to ban it, no catering, sales, sound devices and fireworks will be allowed at the event.

In Stakis' opinion, such an event could now be regarded as a "celebration of death". 

May 9 is the day Russia marks the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945. Many Russian-speakers in Latvia also celebrate Victory Day on May 9. Elsewhere in the world, including in Latvia, the official day for commemoration of the end of World War II is May 8, while May 9 is Europe Day.