RIGA- Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins welcomes Riga City Council's activities to
prevent fraud against tourists. On Sept. 2, Foreign Minister Maris Riekstins met with the Chairman of
the Riga City Council, Nils Usakovs to review the co-operation of the City Council with cities abroad.
The two also discussed Usakovs' upcoming visit to Moscow.
Minister Riekstins spoke about the development of the Latvia-Russia
relations, in view of the meeting planned between Usakovs and Igor
Levitin, Co-chairman of the Latvia-Russia Intergovernmental Commission.
During their discussion, Riekstins and Usakovs addressed
preventing the instances when foreign tourists are taken advantage of in Old
Town bars and nightclubs. The Foreign Ministry had alerted the Riga City
Council to the fact already earlier.
"A negative image of Riga may only
frighten away potential tourists, and therefore I am gratified that the
present Mayor of Riga has taken decisive action to improve the situation,"
Minister Riekstins noted.
The Foreign Minister also observed that, during
the second half of summer, the Foreign Ministry has received fewer
notifications from foreign embassies concerning fraud against foreign
tourists.
