The European Parliament will hold an official ceremony to commemorate the 85th anniversary of the deportations of June 14, 1941

To mark the 85th anniversary of the mass deportations of June 14, 1941, a memorial ceremony will be held at the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, June 9, incorporating a tradition that began in Latvia a few years ago  - the reading of the names of politically repressed.

This official commemorative event, honoring the victims of deportation and political repression, is being held at the European Parliament for the fourth consecutive year at the initiative of the EPP Group. Continuing cooperation with the Latvian Association of Politically Repressed Persons and its branches in various regions of Latvia, several politically repressed from Latvia will also attend the ceremony in person at the invitation of Sandra Kalniete MEP.

Sandra Kalniete emphasizes: “The memory of those deported on June 14, 1941, serves as a reminder that history must not be forgotten and that it is repeating itself today in Ukraine. The heroic Ukrainian people are defending Europe and humanity from Russian aggression and the mass repression being carried out by the Kremlin in the occupied part of Ukraine. Russia has deported tens of thousands of Ukrainians, including children, from the occupied territories and is making every effort to erase their identity and sense of belonging to the Ukrainian nation. Of the more than 20,000 children illegally taken away, only 2,500 have been recovered. Although international diplomacy and non-governmental organizations are working tirelessly to bring the children back to their homeland, this process remains unacceptably slow due to Moscow’s lack of cooperation. The names of those responsible for the abduction of Ukrainian children are known, and these individuals must be included on the list of those subject to international sanctions, including Metropolitan Kirill, who, by supporting Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, also supports the abduction of children.”

The memorial ceremony at Solidarity Square near the Parliament building will be opened by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola, while the reading of the names of the deportees will involve not only Members of the European Parliament and staff, but also the politically repressed themselves, their relatives, compatriots, and anyone who wishes to commemorate the victims of the communist regime.