ALL ROADS LEAD TO RIGA

"All roads lead to Riga,"an ancient Latvian proverb goes. This weekend, it will probably get as real as it can be. The Latvian capital is expecting about 1.2 million foreign visitors to attend its 800 year anniversary celebrations. And, according to pollsters, half of Latvia's population is planning to come as well. So, if these estimates prove to be correct, during the three days of Aug. 17 to Aug. 19 the number of people equal to the total number of residents in the whole country will walk, dance, eat, listen to music and entertain themselves in Old Riga, where the main festivities will be held.

That's quite a challenge for the organizers and the city itself. Riga, this beautiful lady, 800 years of age, is getting a visible face-lift and only now, when the last stitches are being removed - scaffolds, fences and other supporting devices - you can see how beautiful the city really is.

Riga reminds one of a sleeping beauty who is preparing to wake up for its first great ball. In fact, this Cinderella has never before received so much attention and care. In 1980, when Riga was originally choosen as a place for the Summer Olympics water games, city officials became frightened with the responsibility required - and Tallinn got the games instead. The Estonian capital, particularly its Old Town, underwent a major renovation. Ten years later it is seen as having been a great start to putting the house in order after regaining independence.

Now, Riga is getting its turn and its chance to place itself on the world's tourist map as a favorable destination, a charming cosmopolitan city where people can have a good time.

Hosting an event of such scale is a great responsibility. And the Riga municipality has received well-deserved reproaches for planning security measures only at the last moment. The authorities got a valuable lesson last week when the crowds which gathered for a rock-concert in Dome Square almost careened out of control. It also serves as a great reminder that the best way to behave in the crowd is to avoid it.

Still, we are convinced that everything will be OK and that the festivities will be a success. After all, it was planned for the people, not for a bunch of VIPs, as has happened before in this part of the world. And, our forecast calls for sunny weather over the weekend.