Latvia’s Prime Minister Laimdota Straujuma sacked a member of her government after he defended his intention to attend a pro-Nazi rally in the capital Riga.

Einars Cilinkis (center) at the march

Einars Cilinkis (center) at the march

Environment Minister Einars Cilinskis of the rightist National Alliance participated in the annual march of Waffen-SS veterans and their supporters. About 1,500 people attended the event on Sunday, which has been held in the Latvian capital for nearly two decades.

Cilinskis ignored a government order that no minister should attend the march and declared on Friday that he would be attending the rally. Straujuma’s spokesman, Andis Blinds, said that the PM had “no choice but to dismiss Cilinskis “in view of the “particularly sensitive” situation in Ukraine, according to a report by the ‘Associated Press’. Straujuma had given Cilinskis “time to reconsider his participation, but unfortunately he decided to participate,” Blinds said.
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