Latvia commemorates end of WWII

Latvia commemorated the end of World War II with numerous events Sunday and Monday, including at war memorials here and in regions around Latvia.

Latvian Prime Minister Maris Kucinskis visited the Salaspils Memorial, the site of a former Nazi concentration camp outside Riga, on Sunday.

Addressing participants at the commemorative event, the prime minister said everything must be done to prevent "hatred and horrors of war" from repeating in the future.

"We must all be courageous and honest in dealing with those who disdain democracy, who violate human rights and the rule of law. We must stand up for the European core values, which are a cornerstone of the future of our country and its people," Kucinskis said.

The commemoration to mark the end of World War II and honor the memory of its victims continued on Monday at a day-long celebration by the Soviet-era Victory Monument in Riga.

People began arriving at the memorial to WWII victims early in the morning, but since it was a workday, their numbers did not exceed 1,000, police said.

The crowd, however, was likely to grow larger in the evening, as people kept flocking to the memorial to lay flowers, watch performances, and hear speeches.

Among the officials who addressed the crowd was Russian Ambassador to Latvia Alexander Veshnyakov, who wished for no one to ever have to experience anything like World War II again. He also thanked Latvians who fought in ranks of the Red Army against Nazi Germany, saving Latvia and Europe from the so-called "brown plague." Endit