Occupation of the Latvian Republic Day () is an official day of remembrance in Latvia and is observed on June 17.Likums "Par svētku, atceres un atzīmējamām dienām" It commemorates the Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940.
Overview On June 17, 1940, Soviet troops invaded Latvia and occupied bridges, post/telephone, telegraph, and broadcasting offices. On the same day, Andrei Vishinski, Deputy Chairman of the Council of People's Commissars of the Soviet Union, introduced himself to President Kārlis Ulmanis as Soviet special envoy; two days later, Vishinski visited Ulmanis again, this time, to deliver the list, pre-approved by Moscow, of the new members of the cabinet of the Latvian government. Soon after, State administrators were liquidated and replaced by Soviet cadres,Wettig, Gerhard, Stalin and the Cold War in Europe, Rowman & Littlefield, Landham, Md, 2008, , page 20–21 in which 34,250 Latvians were deported or killed and Latvia was incorporated into the Soviet Union as The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic.
Soviet Occupation Day became an official remembrance day on May 18, 2000.
Moldova's interim president Mihai Ghimpu instituted in 2010 the Soviet Occupation Day holidayVladimir Socor, Moldovan Government Chickens out of Historical Assessment of Communism to remember the Soviet occupation on June 28, 1940,Vladimir Socor, Russia Defends Soviet Occupation of Moldova but the Constitutional Court cancelled his decree on July 12, 2010.Moldpres, Moldovan top court says presidential decree on Day of Soviet Occupation unlawful Georgia followed the example and declared February 25 Soviet Occupation Day to recall the Red Army invasion of Georgia in 1921.Georgia declares February 25 Soviet Occupation Day
See also Soviet occupation of Latvia in 1940 Occupation of the Baltic states Red Army invasion of Georgia Soviet occupation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina
References
External links Soviet Occupation Remembered in Riga Rihards Treijs "Par Latvijas okupāciju 1940.gadā" Latvijas Avīze "17. jūnijs – Latvijas Republikas okupācijas diena" (17.06.09.) "Latvijas okupācija:vēsturiskie un starptautiski tiesiskie aspekti" AllMoldova.md: "June 28 declared Day of Soviet Occupation'", June 24, 2010 RFE/RL: "'Soviet Occupation Day' Causes Rift In Moldova's Ruling Alliance", July 3, 2010