Top officials commemorate people killed during WWII

RIGA - Today, Latvia's highest officials commemorated those killed during World War II at the Brethren Cemetery in Riga.

Approximately 200 people participated in today's ceremony, including officials, diplomats and representatives from Latvia's armed forces.

Participating in today's ceremony was President Andris Berzins, Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis (Unity), Saeima Speaker Solvita Aboltina (Unity), Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics (Reform Party), Defense Minister Artis Pabriks (Unity), Riga Mayor Nils Usakovs (Harmony Center) and others.

As reported, today, Latvia marks the defeat of Nazism and victims of World War II.

Since 1995, Europe and Latvia mark May 8 as the end of WWII. At the same time, there are people in Latvia who also celebrate WWII Victory Day in Latvia on May 9, which has been included on the Russian holiday calendar.

President Berzins previously invited all World War II veterans in Latvia to commemorate Nazism and Communism victims on May 8 in Brethren Cemetery. Berzins noted that he has made his appeal so that May 8, which is marked in Europe and the United States as the day of the Allies' victory over Nazi Germany since 1945 (V-E Day), would not be used for confronting various social groups in Latvia but for reconciliation between them, as well as all those to whom V-E Day is an important and sacred day.