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"Today, we honour the memory of the horrific events that unfolded in Bucha in March 2022. This small town endured unimaginable atrocities. In the 21st century, European civilisation was confronted by medieval barbarism — by savages who murdered, raped, and tortured innocent civilians. These crimes must never be forgotten, and they must never be forgiven. The perpetrators must be called by their name, held to account, and punished with the full force of justice. Crimes against humanity carry no statute of limitations," emphasised Speaker of the Saeima Daiga Mieriņa on Monday, 31 March, during her participation in a summit held in the Ukrainian city of Bucha.
The Speaker noted that only days earlier, the Baltic nations had commemorated the inhumane deportations carried out by Soviet occupiers. "The aggressor state to our east has changed its name throughout history, but not its brutal habits. Russia is, and continues to be, a long-term threat to our security and democracy," Speaker Mieriņa underscored.
She further highlighted the importance of sustaining pressure on Russia through sanctions. "There is still more we can do — in the fields of energy, finance, and dual-use goods," stated Speaker Mieriņa, reaffirming Latvia’s active support for the establishment of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine, as well as its involvement in the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression Against Ukraine.
The Speaker of the Saeima also placed special emphasis on the need to intensify efforts to return abducted Ukrainian children to their families. "More than 20,000 children have been taken — and only just over a thousand have been brought back. The aggressor can never erase these crimes and walk away unpunished," Speaker Mieriņa stressed. During her visit, she reaffirmed Latvia’s steadfast support for Ukraine, its people, and its path towards integration into the European Union and NATO.
The summit “We Will Never Forget. We Will Never Forgive” is taking place today in Bucha, bringing together Ukraine’s highest-ranking officials — including President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Ruslan Stefanchuk — alongside speakers of European national parliaments.
Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/albums/72177720324778682/
(Andrii Nesterenko, Verkhovna Rada)
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Saeima Press Service