Baltic Friendship Days 2009

An open letter signed by the Baltic LGBT organisations to the governments of three counrties.

Rīga, May 18 – The State Police have launched an administrative case in relation to protests that took place when Mozaīka, an organisation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered people and their friends, held their Friendship Days event.

ILGA-Europe is pleased with the outcome of the Baltic Pride March which took place on 16 May 2009 in Riga.

This morning Riga Administrative Court lifted a ban on the Baltic Pride March which was scheduled for tomorrow.

Jean Lambert to raise decision with European Commission

Message in support of IDAHO 2009

Mozaīka, an organisation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered people and their friends, has filed suit with the Administrative District Court in Rīga to appeal a decision by the Rīga City Council to ban this Saturday’s march in the Vērmaņdārzs park, LETA was told by Evita Elliņa, an assistant to the chief justice of the court.

This morning the Riga City Council has banned the Baltic Pride March which was planned for this Saturday and initially allowed by the City a few days ago.

Statement by Mozaika

Amnesty International EU office's letter to EU Presidency

Amnesty International is calling on the Latvian authorities to ensure that the planned Baltic Pride event on Saturday 16 May is allowed to take place.

Although the executive director of the Rīga City Council, Andris Grīnbergs, believed this afternoon that there is no reason to take another look at the issue of the Friendship Days march in the Vērmaņdārzs park, the situation has changed. The Commission on Meetings, Marches and Demonstrations will meet again on Thursday morning to take another decision on the march. Commission member Valdis Voins, who is commander of the National Police, confirmed that he has been invited to attend the meeting.

When it comes to the march which Mozaīka, an organisation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgendered persons, is planning to hold in the Vērmaņdārzs park, the Rīga local government gave its approval strictly in line with the requirements of the law, and so there is no reason to bring the relevant commission together again, says the executive director of the city, Andris Grīnbergs.

On 16 May 2009, two very different Pride events are taking place in the European Union: one in Brussels and the other in Riga. ILGA-Europe and the Belgian Lesbian and Gay Pride (BLGP) are joining efforts to monitor and support the Baltic Pride in Riga. By bringing the attention to these Pride events, ILGA-Europe and BLGP want to highlight the gaps which still exist in relations to the situation for LGBT people in the EU.

Līga Dimitere has called upon mothers in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia to protest the march in the Vērmaņdārzs Park which is being organised on May 16 by Mozaīka, the organisation of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgendered persons and their friends.

I am writing in response to a call from Amnesty International to express the concern of the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission over the challenges to the Baltic Pride march, scheduled to take place in Riga on May 16, 2009.

More than half of the members of the Rīga City Council – 34 in all – signed a letter today to the executive director of the city, Andris Grīnbergs, calling on him to repeal the permission that was given to Mozaīka, the association of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transsexuals and their friends, to hold a parade in the Vērmaņdārzs Park on May 16.

Today, a Riga City Council’s Committee on Demonstrations and Pickets gave its permission for the March organised by Mozaika, the Latvian Alliance of LGBT People and Their Friends.

The deputy mayor of Rīga, Almers Ludviks (First Party of Latvia/Latvia’s Way) believes that the sexual minorities march or pride event that is scheduled to take place in Rīga next weekend is a purposeful provocation which threatens security and moral standards in the city, the Apollo portal was told by the Public Information Division of the Rīga City Council.

An open letter to the president, Cabinet of Ministers and Parliament of Latvia, the mayor of Rīga and the national Ombudsman (published today on diena.lv news portal)

Greeting letter from Klaus Wowereit, the Mayor of Berlin, to the first Baltic Friendship Days (German & English versions below)

This year the Baltic Pride will take place in Rīga, Latvia, from May 15-17. The March for Equality will be held on Saturday, May 16, beginning at noon. The location is still being negotiated with the Rīga City Council and the local police. Following the march, there will be a gathering at which participants will be addressed by local and foreign guests from various organisations.

Dear friends, I wish to send you my best and supportive greetings on the occasion of the 4th Riga Friendship Days and the 1st Baltic Pride that you will celebrate from 14 May 2009 till 17 May 2009.

On 2 April 2009 the European Parliament's Intergroup on Gay and Lesbian Rights sent a letter to the Chairman of the Riga City Council, Janis Birks, asking him not to ban the Baltic Pride parade scheduled for 16 May.

Riga, March 24, LETA – The Coalition of Christian congregations in Riga has called for a ban of the gay and lesbian march that is planned for May of this year, the LETA news agency was informed by Inga Virbule, an assistant to the deputy mayor of Riga, Almers Ludviks.