The barricades remind us that the state is not just border posts, - Rinkēvičs

Photo: LETA

The barricades remind us that the state is not just border posts, buildings, and slogans, but also people, stated the President of Latvia Edgars Rinkēvičs on Facebook on Tuesday, the Day of Remembrance for the Defenders of the Barricades of 1991.

He notes that 35 years have passed since the barricades of 1991, but some people still remember the bonfires, the sound of gunfire on Bastion Hill, and the anxiety. "In those days, the patriots of Latvia exchanged their personal safety and comfort for the safety and future of Latvia," writes Rinkēvičs.

The president emphasizes that the state consists of people who, in times of crisis, understand that "together" is not just a beautiful word, but a practical choice. In 1991, he notes, this meant standing shoulder to shoulder in the cold and supporting each other. "Over these 35 years, much has changed, but this has remained the same. And today it seems that there is nothing more important than supporting each other and caring for those close to us," says Rinkēvičs.

He pointed out that people defended Latvia not because they were born with a special hero gene. The president believes that people participated in the barricades because it was a logical action. "If we do not participate, others will. Others whose values do not align with ours," Rinkēvičs said about the participants of the barricades.

The president notes that the participants of the 1991 barricades were a great force at the right time and in the right place, and that Latvian society is still such a great force today. "At this time and in Latvia," said Rinkēvičs.

The barricades in Riga were erected on the evening of January 13, 1991. Their purpose was to protect the building of the Supreme Council, television, bridges over the Daugava, and other strategically important objects. On January 16, the OMON unit became active, but the bloodiest events occurred on January 20, when OMON attempted to seize the building of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The graves of those who died during the barricades are currently located at the Second Forest Cemetery in Riga, where Andris Slapinš, Edijs Riekstiņš, Sergey Kononenko, Juris Podnieks, and Guido Zvaigzne are buried.

Since 1997, January 20 has been commemorated as the Day of Remembrance for the Defenders of the Barricades.