Latvian holidays - Restoration of Independence Day

An annual national holiday, which, thanks to legislative amendments adopted in 2002, became an official holiday The independence of the Republic of Latvia from the Soviet Union was accepted by the Supreme Council on this day in 1990 Since 2011, the holiday has been renamed, which emphasizes that this is the second attempt for the country to gain long-awaited sovereignty over the last century The official wording included the words: “Day of Restoration of Independence” The name of the holiday is as unstable as the independence of the Republic of Latvia itself The events of the First World War allowed Latvia to gain autonomy for the first time in 1918, which was recognized a few years later by the RSFSR and the countries of Atlanta But the relatively short period of independence in a historical sense lasted until August 1939 The famous Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact (a secret agreement between the USSR and Germany) divided the spheres of influence of the two powers: some countries of Eastern Europe went to the Soviet Union I had to forget again about the possibility of being an independent international entity, having become the Latvian SSR in 1940 Now this period of time until 1990 is considered by the Latvian side to be the period of Soviet occupation The country's leadership greatly appreciates the times of Gorbachev's perestroika and the opportunity of the Supreme Council to give a second chance to Latvia as a self-sufficient state In honor of the solemn date, special meetings of the Seimas, the modern parliament that replaced the Supreme Council, are held On May 4, state awards are presented for various merits and the traditional laying of flowers takes place at the symbolic Freedom Monument on the main square of Riga Ordinary citizens, about half of whom, according to opinion polls, do not even know the correct wording of the name of the holiday, take advantage of the opportunity to relax culturally On May 4, concerts, family celebrations, marathons of Latvian films, various florist competitions are traditionally held, and in the evening residents and guests of the capital will be treated to fireworks