On the fifth year of the war in Ukraine, the Ministry of Economics has realized the need to change the name of Krievu Island, located in Riga at the mouth of the Daugava.
The ministry stated that, considering the current geopolitical situation and the need to strengthen the information space of Latvia, the name of the territory of the Riga port should reflect the state values of Latvia and the identity of a modern European capital.
As for what to call it in the future, officials have not yet come up with an idea. Perhaps Swedish? Or American?
The modern passenger port in the center of Riga is not just an infrastructure project, but also a contribution to Latvia's tourist export, attracting investments, entrepreneurship, and the international competitiveness of Riga, the ministry, headed by Minister Viktor Valainis (Union of Greens and Farmers), reminded.
Krievu Island (Krievu Sala, Russian Island) — an uninhabited island at the mouth of the Daugava River, located in the northern part of Riga. It is currently being developed as a new port terminal to relocate the activities of the Riga Free Port from the historical center of the city.
It got its name due to the historical presence of warehouses, enterprises, and docks that served the Russian fleet in the 19th to early 20th centuries. In the past, Russian merchants, fishermen, and residents associated with trade along the Daugava settled or worked there.
The area of the island is about 3 hectares. Since the 1940s, it has turned into a peninsula, but the name has remained.
