Some media have warned residents of Ukraine and Latvia that everyone who celebrates the New Year, Moscow time, faces serious punishment.
For example edition At the end of December, Argumenty Nedeli published an article entitled “Russian-speakers of Latvia will be left without fireworks for the New Year,” which states (verbatim):
“It has long been no secret that the Russian-speaking residents of Latvia usually celebrate the New Year together with Russia: the time difference is an hour, the clock hands in the Russian Federation run forward … Every year, when the main chimes of Russia beat off the New Year, and the country’s President Vladimir Vladimirovich congratulated happy new year people, people of Latvia raise their glasses, wish all the best and set off fireworks!
So it was all previous years, but the current one is an exception! Why? All those who in Latvia will launch fireworks on the “Russian New Year” will be punished… The representative of the “Conservative” party, Marcis Kulis, officially warned the inhabitants of Latvia about this. Moreover, those who dare to launch fireworks and shout “Hurrah!” are the enemy of Latvia. And it’s official!
How will law enforcement agencies figure out the “violator”? First of all, for example, cameras are installed in Riga, practically on every street, near houses… There is also such a moment as denunciation – many national patriots will gladly “make a call” to the right place… What punishment threatens the “violator”? The “incident” will be reported to the special services of Latvia, and they, of course, will start an investigation with prejudice. This year, festive fireworks were abandoned almost throughout Latvia so as not to injure the psyche of Ukrainian refugees. The exception is Ventspils! There the New Year with festive fireworks will take place! Here is democracy for you – what is allowed for the national patriots of Latvia is not allowed for the Russian-speaking countries!
What’s the catch? After all, a member of the Conservative party, Marcis Kulis, actually wrote on Twitter: “Tell your neighbor! If someone starts fireworks at 23.00 on New Year’s Eve, he will be listed as an ENEMY OF LATVIA. Let him blame himself later!” But Kulis is not a politician and does not hold a public post. He is a famous musician, performer of the classical repertoire. His tweet reflects only his personal opinion. And the list of “enemies of Latvia”, naturally, does not exist. It is worth recalling that the “Conservative” party won only 1.09% of the vote in the autumn parliamentary elections and did not get into the Seimas.
But in most Latvian cities, there really will not be New Year’s fireworks at 23:00, and this is not a fake. Like an hour later, at midnight. Municipalities have abandoned them in order to avoid pollution and not to frighten domestic animals. In Riga, the use of pyrotechnics from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. is possible only upon agreement with the city authorities, who decided to hold a light show without sound effects and fireworks.
At the same time, Pravda.ru wrotethat a ban on celebrating the “Russian New Year” has also been introduced in Ukraine, and in European countries, Ukrainian refugees threaten to “punish” all those who celebrate the holiday according to Moscow time. The publication says (quote):
“In Ukraine and the Baltic States, they will seek and punish those who celebrate New Year’s Eve, Moscow time. This is reported by the deputies of Latvia and the participants of the “Coordination if (bang)” chat.” In Ukraine, they promise to “search and punish” for the celebration of New Year’s Eve, Moscow time Also, Ukrainian refugees threaten to “punish” those who will celebrate the holiday “in Moscow” in Poland and Germany – they write in chats of Ukrainians who left the hostilities in EU. … Ukrainians in the above chat call on each other to “keep an eye on the neighbors and call the SBU” if someone dares to celebrate the holiday, Moscow time, even at home, not to mention fireworks on the street or loud congratulations “at midnight at (time) capital of the Russian Federation. They expect that such citizens will be charged with the article of the Criminal Code of Ukraine “Treason to the Motherland”. In refugee chats, citizens who left Ukraine promise: “If we see someone who celebrates in Moskal, we will beat and punish”, “We must go on patrol and hand over to the police”, and also remember the slogan “moskalyaku for gilyak (knife)” and hint at it implementation”.
Andrei Husiy, who for some reason was presented as a “famous political scientist” commented on this news:
“But in fact, local law enforcement agencies do not have enough resources to control every yard, which means that all hope is for neighbors who inform. And even if they do not exist, the thought of a possible such option will instill paranoia in society against acquaintances or residents of the house, the landing. <…> If the attempt to exclude Russian culture has already begun to look ordinary, then the exclusion of an entire time zone is something new.”
The authors of the article did not take into account one thing – martial law has been introduced in Ukraine and a curfew is in effect, which they are not going to cancel on New Year’s Eve. Any fireworks and “loud congratulations” on the street are impossible, and it doesn’t matter at 23:00 local time or at midnight. As reported According to the Ukrainian publication Zerkalo Nedeli, the representative of the National Police Maryana Reva, violators will be taken to police units for identification. There is no curfew in only one of the regions of the country – in the Transcarpathian region.
A source: The Insider.
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