Dear Madam Speaker of the Saeima!
Dear Prime Minister!
Mr. President of the Latvian Association of the politically repressed persons!
Dear repressed people!
83 years have passed since that horrific night in June, when thousands of Latvia's finest people were forcibly taken from their homes, arrested, brought to the nearest railway stations, packed into cattle wagons, and deported to Siberia. Many of them died during the passage, many were killed by the Stalinist regime, many perished in Siberia, and only a few returned to Latvia. Only a few have returned to Latvia to tell us about that time, about the atrocities committed by that barbaric regime and their suffering.
I recently had a meeting with the politically repressed. We also thanked the children who took part in the art and essay contest. Those who were very young children at that time have now become our elderly. These are the people who still remember. These are the people from whom we must learn and draw on the experience and wisdom, so that our nation's historical memory remains with us.
In moments of reflection on the communists’ atrocities and commemoration of the victims of Stalin's regime, it is difficult to describe the depth of the pain experienced. No words can measure up to the deep and lasting suffering endured by the victims. However, these moments of remembrance are of great importance, both for the documentation of the past and for our collective consciousness. They remind us of the events that have moulded our nation and ensure that we do everything in our power to prevent such suffering ever again.
The years 1940-1941 have gone down in our history as the "The Horrific Year". It is a year that cannot be erased from the annals of history. It seems that when we regained our independence, it was hard to imagine that something like this could occur again in the 21st century, which had witnessed the atrocities of both Hitler and Stalin. Unfortunately, it is happening not far away from us in Ukraine, where civilians are being murdered, children are being deported, and parents have no knowledge of what is happening to them. This is "The Horrific Year" of the 21st century for Europe, for Ukraine and for Latvia. It is a time when we still need to realise that nothing is over – the struggle against evil is ongoing and evil must be defeated. I am convinced that we can succeed! We can do it if we are resilient and united. We can achieve it if we are strong and able to overcome the minor disagreements in our daily lives. And we will succeed if we believe in ourselves, in our people and in our country.
God, bless Latvia!
