The diversion of two airBaltic flights due to the opening ceremony of the New Wave pop music contest in Jurmala brings "shame on the Riga International Airport and the national airline airBaltic," said Transport Minister Kaspars Gerhards, reports news agency LETA. He said that the incident is being investigated by the Civil Aviation Agency. "Shows such as the air show that took place in Jurmala to mark the start of the song contest have to be organized so that they do not hamper air traffic," he quipped. Two airBaltic planes could not land in Riga due to the opening ceremony and had to fly to Tallinn and Vilnius. There were 243 passengers on board both planes. An air show was taking place in Jurmala to mark the start of the song contest, and the airspace above Jurmala was off limits for other aircraft.
The prosecutor's office in Riga has indicted 46 persons for involvement in the January 13 'riot' in Riga's Old Town, reports news agency LETA. The book was thrown at them; they face charges of active involvement in mass unrest connected with violence, property damage, burning, looting, vandalism, assault and/or resisting arrest. Evidence against 18 others is pending further police investigation. State Police Public Relations Senior Specialist Edgars Dudko called the investigation "one the most wide-scale in recent times." Damage from vandalism and looting amounted to 185,770 lats (265,300 euros). The State Police is expressing its gratitude to the general public for responding and identifying suspects. The penalty for active involvement in mass unrest is imprisonment from eight to 15 years.
