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Commemorating 80 years since tens of thousands of people from the Baltic States, including Latvians, fled the occupying power and made the dangerous journey in fishing boats across the Baltic Sea to Sweden, Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa, together with the President of Estonia and the Deputy Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament, took part in the event "80 Years Ago 80 Years After" in Gotland, Sweden. The visit also reiterates the close ties between the Baltic States and Sweden in strengthening regional security.

"Many Latvians, Estonians and Lithuanians were forced to leave their homes, their homeland and seek refuge in Sweden and Gotland in particular. We are eternally grateful to our Swedish allies, the people of Gotland, for the care and support our compatriots received here. This support not only enabled them to start a new life away from home, but also to maintain and nurture their Latvian identity and thus keep alive the hope for the restoration of Latvia's statehood," Speaker Mieriņa said when addressing the people of Gotland and the diaspora of the Baltic States living in Gotland.

During the event, a commemorative ceremony was held in the port of Slīte. It was one of the ports where approximately 80 years ago tens of thousands of Baltic refugees, including about six thousand Latvians fleeing Soviet aggression and the brutal repression of the occupying regime, arrived in refugee boats. Afterwards, the Speaker of the Saeima, together with Lauri Hussar, Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, Andreas Norlén, Speaker of the Swedish Parliament, and Žygimantas Pavilionis, Deputy Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament, attended a memorial service and a concert by Latvian, Estonian and Lithuanian artists at the historic Cathedral of Visby.

In Gotland, Speaker Mieriņa met with the Swedish Speaker and the Governor of Gotland. "The historical context and geography, as well as political reality and interests, make us see closer cooperation between the Baltic States, Sweden, the Nordic countries not only as politically and economically beneficial, but as an absolute necessity," Speaker Mieriņa said.

In Visby, the Speakers of Parliament of the Baltic States heard the stories of compatriots about their families' refugee journeys to Sweden 80 years ago, and attended a diaspora concert. "Emotional stories about the tragic pages of our nations' history. Individual stories of survival, which is ultimately the story of a nation's survival. We must learn from history to strengthen Europe's security," said the Speaker of the Saeima, underlining that Russia’s brutal and ruthless imperialism has returned, seeking to enslave, destroy, annihilate. "By restoring our independence, we only partially restored international justice. We must not again give criminals a sense of impunity which may sooner or later encourage them to commit new crimes," said Speaker Mieriņa.

In Katthammarsvik, where a refugee centre was established in 1944, Speaker Mieriņa met with descendants of Latvian refugees and visited the newly unveiled memorial plaque to Latvian refugees. The Baltic Speakers also visited the Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators, which has also produced important original works of Latvian literature. The Speakers of Parliament of the Baltic States also visited Gotland military base, where they discussed strengthening regional defence and deterrence.

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Saeima Press Service