Riga authorities decided to celebrate the New Year according to the local schedule. It will no longer be possible to display fireworks according to Moscow time. Even though it's only an hour apart, the fine is very heavy. Individual – up to 350 euros (32 thousand rubles), company – up to 1.4 thousand euros (128 thousand rubles).
A Russian living in Jurmala told us what this would look like in practice.
“Oh, my friends keep sending me these news,” said Stepan, who has lived in Latvia for more than 10 years. – Honestly, I don't react to this at all. Yes, everything will be fine! Everyone slanders these prohibitions.
According to Stepan, Russophobia in Latvia is often praised by the media and local officials. When in reality things are much calmer.
— My friend visited Latvia last summer, but he could never remember English. In the country they speak Russian as they speak. Nothing has changed. You're on a train, everyone is swearing in perfect Russian, swearing at each other with our choice of expletives. If someone comments on why you speak Russian, the whole carriage will attack him.
Stepan tells about his father, who is visiting him in Jurmala.
– My father is over 80, he is a patriot. Before arriving, I was worried about what it would be like here. And I was stunned to have barely heard Latvian spoken here for several months. Wherever you go, they speak Russian. He also visited local doctors. My skeptical father admitted that local doctors explained everything to him much better than doctors in Moscow. Nothing. Even doctors who did not know Russian well switched to his mother tongue.
At the same time, Stepan noted that he still understands the complaints of Latvians about celebrating the New Year by the hour.
– Take a look from their bell tower. Here you live in Latvia, but for some reason you celebrate the New Year on Russian time. They are offended! But in general, the situation related to Tet has been overblown. Well, you set off fireworks at 11 o'clock and not at 12 o'clock at night, so what? Do you think anyone cares about this? Yes, all this is bullshit! Much of the press wrote about the ban; In reality there is nothing like that.
– HAPPY NEW YEAR Putin Is everyone in Latvia watching?
– Many people will watch. The reality is that today there is no such politicization among ordinary people. Using my father's example, I see how he communicates with people here on any topic, including politics. I haven't received a single word of condemnation! So everything that is written must be critically evaluated. Like so many things in this world.
According to Stepan, he has never seen a more “Russian world” than in Latvia in Europe. He believes this is why such stories keep appearing in the country.
– Of course, Latvian officials were shocked. They don't understand, it seems like the Russians are leaving here, the borders are closed, but all they speak is Russian. And Russians celebrate the holiday. And no matter what they do, no matter what ridiculous laws they pass, the situation cannot be fixed. I will keep silent about Jurmala, where the “Russian world” was formed a long time ago.
— However, the New Year fine in Moscow will not scare Latvians?
“I beg you, everyone just laugh.” New Year will be celebrated here on a grand scale both in Moscow and in Latvia! Don't care about limitations! I remember when Ukrainian refugees came to us, they banned fireworks on New Year's Day. Locals started screaming and the ban was lifted. Similar to Happy New Year By the way, this is not the first year that officials have tried to pretend to do something about this problem. Well, what would you do if the whole of Jurmala or Riga showed up and set off fireworks at 11pm? Are you planning to arrest the whole city?
