More A search for the perpetrators of the brazen daylight heist continues.  The store's security cameras show the robbers entering the store at 2:23 p.m Two armed robbers head to an adjacent room while one of them smashes a watch display case behind the store counter the display case appears to have armored glass suggesting the robbers knew which watches were the most expensive and where they were The robbery lasted approximately two minutes and injured a passer-by as they made their escape. The State Police were on the scene within three minutes of receiving a call but have so far not made arrests "The robbery was carried out in less than two minutes the criminals had already crossed the Stone Bridge [across the River Daugava]," said Raimonds Kronbergs Head of the Criminal Police Department of the Rīga Regional Department of the Police The criminals were last seen on cameras near Victory Park.  "It was a planned crime with prior intelligence It can be assumed that this was not a spontaneous but a planned attack," Kronbergs pointed out One person was injured – a store employee It was previously confirmed that a firearm was not used against the employee and his life is not in danger Latvian Television (LTV) found out that the employee in question has been discharged from the hospital today Police say that there are signs that could mean that the robbers are foreigners. LTV managed to learn from the store employees that the individuals were speaking English at the time of the robbery it is clear that the two robbers were without gloves Police are not saying whether fingerprints were found "We are checking the information about specific individuals also taking into account the activity of the population," Kronbergs said the police are not revealing details about the possible direction of the robbers' departure outside Rīga It is also not known when and whether the robbers changed their vehicle and the Volkswagen Golf in which they made their getaway has not been found Police invite any other eyewitnesses to come forward Select text and press Ctrl+Enter to send a suggested correction to the editor Select text and press Report a mistake to send a suggested correction to the editor the 35th anniversary of the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia will be celebrated The Riga Municipality has prepared an extensive festive programme and invites Riga residents and city guests to attend it From nine in the morning until the evening of the next day every Riga resident and guest of the city is invited to participate in creating a flower arrangement “Latvia of Flowers” [“Ziedu Latvija”] where flowers brought by people will be woven into an outline of Latvia Families with children are especially welcome in Vērmanes Garden the whole day from 12:00 to 17:00 to participate in creative workshops play at the large-format game area in collaboration with BigGames and get involved in many other activities the group Brīnumskapis will perform a concert for children the 10th-anniversary event of the campaign “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia” will take place at the Town Hall Square from 12:30 to 15:00 with a concert by the folklore groups Kokle The traditional procession in folk costumes will take place from 14:30 to 15:30 on the route from the Town Hall Square to the Freedom Monument to demonstrate the diversity and splendour of folk costumes and adorn the holiday Latvian school brass bands will parade at the Freedom Square with a programme dedicated to the Independence Day of the Republic of Latvia festive concerts will be performed at Freedom Square Various folklore groups will start the concerts by welcoming the participants of the “Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia” procession state officials will give ceremonial speeches and the festive grand concert “Roots That Bind” will culminate the performance It will feature popular soloists such as Ance Krauze The soloists’ voices will be joined by singers from the choirs Anima while the events on stage will be complemented by dancer performances The programme will be hosted by Ritvars Logins the post-folklore group Rikši will lead a lively dance for everyone The Splendid Palace cinema will hold the 4th May Latvian Film Marathon throughout the day the latest Latvian films will be screened in both cinema halls and in an open-air night screening to attract a wider audience The Culture Centre Iļģuciems will host a jazz concert “Improvisation on Folk Songs” featuring the Rūta Dūduma-Ķirse’s and Lauris Amantovs’ quartet and the youth chamber choir Vecrīga from the Culture Centre Imanta The concert “May You Live Forever, Latvia!” will be performed at the Culture Palace Ziemeļblāzma, featuring the orchestra Rīga, the National Guard choir Stars and the mixed choir Sōla of the Latvian Academy of Culture with soloists Marlēna Keine, Ieva Parša, Emīls Klaužs and Armands Siliņš. Concert conductors: Valdis Butāns, Kaspars Ādamsons, Ārijs Šķepasts. the concert programme “Words of Power for Latvia” will feature pianist Agnese Egliņa tenor Jānis Kurševs and actress Lidija Pupure thematic holiday workshops will be held in the courtyard of the Riga Porcelain Museum in the Convent Yard open to families with children and people with special needs Free invitations to the concerts will become available at Biļešu paradīze box offices on 28 April a documentary exhibition dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia “We Are Free Independent” will be on display at Līvu Square which will tell about the adoption of the declaration “On the restoration of the independence of the Republic of Latvia” and the period of the restoration of the Latvian state starting from the victory of the Popular Front of Latvia in the Supreme Council elections to the de facto restoration of the independence of the Latvian state the concert “We Are Composed” [“Mēs esam sacerēti”] will be held at the Kokaru Hall of the Mežaparks Grand Stage – honouring the beloved poet and leader of the Latvian National Awakening the most beautiful compositions by Latvian composers will be interwoven with the poet’s poetry Outstanding choirs and artists will meet on stage – the Jāzeps Mediņš Riga 1st Music School Boys’ Choir concert director and soloist Zigfrīds Muktupāvels and instrumentalists Uģis Tirzītis (acoustic guitar) and Jēkabs Jančevskis (piano) to create a touching festive mood under the leadership of conductors Romāns Vanags Information was prepared by Ineta Miglāne, project coordinator, External Communication Division of the Communications Department of the Riga City Council, e-mail: ineta.miglane@riga.lv Your feedback will help us improve this site Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Then on May 4 the country will mark the 35th anniversary of the 1990 restoration of Latvia's independence by the Supreme Council's adoption of the Declaration "On the Restoration of the Independence of the Republic of Latvia" which restored the state independence of the Republic of Latvia the world will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and a day later on May 9 this year marking 75 years since the birth of the European idea that was eventually to lead to the establishment of the European Union public holidays have been declared on May 1 meaning that there will be five days in a row that are – at least in theory – work-free To account for the extra holiday on May 2 you are supposed to work May 10 in lieu.  Here is a run-down of some key events and celebrations taking place around the May 4 focus so bear in mind that there will also be equivalent local events in other parts of the country – check your local municipality website for details There will also be events taking place in other countries, details of which are provided by the Foreign Affairs Ministry here. You can find out more about the May 4th events in Riga on the website www.kultura.riga.lv.   in the Talsi Market parking lot and at the skate park you will be able to view displays and information stands of equipment of the National Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior units there will be demonstrations by dog ​​handlers of the State Border Guard and Military Police near the Talsi Market the 10th anniversary event of the campaign "Wear the national costume in honour of Latvia" will take place at the Town Hall Square from 12:30 to 15:00 The traditional procession in folk costumes will take place from 2:30 p.m on the route from Town Hall Square to the Freedom Monument to demonstrate the diversity and splendour of folk costumes and decorate the holiday The “Put on the national costume in honor of Latvia” procession will be followed at 17:30 by ceremonial speeches by state officials after which the festive grand concert “Roots that bind” will be performed It will feature artists including Ance Krauze the voices of the soloists will be joined by the voices of singers from the choirs “Anima” “Vivere” and “Muklājs” and the events on stage will be complemented by performances by dancers The program will be hosted by Ritvars Logins there will be more entertainment with the post-folklore group "Rikši" The May 4 Latvian Film Marathon will take place throughout the day at the Splendid Palace cinema the latest Latvian films will be screened in both halls of the cinema and in an open-air night screening The cultural centre “Iļģuciems” will host a jazz concert “Improvisation on Folk Songs” featuring the Rūta Dūduma-Ķirse and Laura Amantova quartet and the cultural centre “Imanta” youth chamber choir “Vecrīga" Latvia!” will be performed at the Palace of Culture “Ziemeļblāzma” featuring the orchestra “Rīga” the National Guard choir “Stars” and the mixed choir of the Latvian Academy of Culture “Sōla” with soloists Marlēna Keine Emīls Klāzus and Armands Siliņš The concert conductors are Valdis Butāns the concert program “Words of Power for Latvia” will feature pianist Agnes Egliņa Free invitations to concerts are available from April 28th at the "Biļešu paradīze" box office thematic holiday workshops will be held in the courtyard of the Riga Porcelain Museum in the Konventa Sēta, open to families with children Riga turns into the World Capital of Running – the city of runners If you’re wondering why the Rimi Riga Marathon should be on your race calendar—here are five great reasons We offer various distances to cater to participants with different running abilities and goals the Kids’ Day will take place with short distances meant for everyone especially families with kids – “Happy Babies” course 400m (free of charge for kids up to 12 years) and the DPD Mile (1609 m) based on the World Athletics Road Running Championships Road Mile Course 10 km and 6 km distances in the very heart of Riga In the scenic courses that make Riga unique on the global running map along with thousands of international marathon tourists and Latvian runners will have the opportunity to run through our breathtaking city in the spring Experience the best of Riga as you cross three bridges over the River Daugava and take in breathtaking views of the historic Old Town and past one of the city’s most iconic landmarks—the Freedom Monument in the Birthday Alley (in collaboration with shopping center Spice) of the Rimi Riga Marathon you’ll be greeted with Latvian singing and dancing at its finest And we’ve made sure you’ll get your boost all along the course our water and energy stations are well-stocked with water there are the music points – featuring popular Latvian personalities cheering you on with great music and good vibes an extra-energetic finish powered by Elektrum: in the last few hundred metres you’ll be welcomed by loud cheering and uplifting energy We’re confident that this support will help you go for your personal best – simply cross the finish line with a big smile Rimi Riga Marathon stands out from other running races around the world with spectacular and ever changing medal and T-shirt design The finishers of all distances in the Rimi Riga Marathon from the smallest ones on the Kids’ Day to the marathon distance will receive medals designed by the legendary Latvian artist Ivars Heinrihsons But if you want new running T-shirts in your collection artist Helēna Heinrihsone has designed two very special ones this year More than 40 000 participants from over 100 countries will stand on the starting line on May 17 and 18 Rimi Riga Marathon isn’t just a running event; it’s a festival of joy and positive emotions for everyone and as Sebastian Coe labeled us back in 2023 – “Riga is the Road Running Capital of the World!” Join us for a weekend filled with family fun and fully experience the electric atmosphere You are welcome to stay in Riga a little longer and admire the city’s iconic Art Nouveau architecture which surrounds its streets with an exquisite combination of mystique and elegance Whether savoring local cuisine or admiring architectural wonders I have read and agree to the privacy policy An international drug production and smuggling network is suspected Criminal proceedings have been initiated and one person has been arrested the Tax and Customs Police Directorate of the VID initiated criminal proceedings for the alleged offence of possession of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in large quantities for the purpose of sale During the searches carried out in the criminal proceedings more than 670 kilograms of various types of highly dangerous narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances The large quantities and different types of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances seized point to a possible international drug production and trafficking network as well as to the fact that some of the narcotic substances were intended for distribution in the territory of the Republic of Latvia The criminal proceedings have been initiated on the basis of the elements of the criminal offence under Article 253.1 (3) of the Criminal Law - possession of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in large quantities for the purpose of sale One person has been recognised as a suspect and remanded in custody the VID does not provide further information at this time Celebrate Easter together in the capital city with a wide programme of events including concerts swinging in Easter swings and other activities the city will be decorated with special decorations The urban posters and billboards of this year are designed by the young generation artist Zahars Purvišķis The Easter design of this year is based on the Latvian folk proverb "Round as a willow-catkin healthy as a radish" - a saying rooted in the traditional Easter wish The artist's interpretation of the posters depicts spring-like joyful and healthy citizens of Riga in their everyday work and travels - images that interact with the Easter attributes of nature Uzvaras Park and six places near important traffic arteries will be decorated with Easter-themed environmental objects Enjoy the new springtime environmental objects "Mūsmājas" in Doma Square The first Easter design objects in the city environment - Bastejkalns Līvu Square and Uzvaras Park - are planned to be placed from 7 April On Good Friday, 18 April, at 17.00, the concert "Zemīši familiy at the Easter time" will take place at the Culture Palace "Ziemeļblāzma" Kaspars Zemītis and his family will perform original songs from the new studio album "I have only one heart” ["Man ir tikai viena sirds"] by the musical group "Zemītis and his sons”. Free invitations from 7 April www.bilesuparadize.lv. the main Easter activity - swinging - will be organised at four locations in the city - Doma Square The real Easter swing will be available on 20 April and 21 April from 10.00 to 20.00 On 19 April and 20 April between 11.30-13.30 and 15.00-17.00, the Riga Porcelain Museum will host creative workshops "Easter", starting with a lecture on Latvian porcelain cutlery and small plastic, and the history of ceramic tiles. Free entry in the event. Advance booking by phone +371 26406354. the museum "Riga Art Nouveau Centre" will host a concert "Come in which the Easter songs and games by musician and educator Baiba Ērgle will delight both children and adults residents of the neighbourhoods of Pārdaugava are invited to gather at the cultural centre "Imanta" to celebrate the arrival of spring take part in festive activities - egg dyeing and cooking master classes as well as enjoy the Riga Dance Club games and a concert by the post-folklore group "Kaligo" in the courtyard of the cultural centre "Imanta" The youngest visitors will enjoy meeting real rabbits and swinging Easter rituals and games with the folklore group "Skandinieki" are planned from 11.00 and at 12.00 an Easter morning with Richie Roe and friends for the little Easter celebrants you will also be able to hear the poetry of Imants Ziedonis and Knuts Skujenieks performed by Goran Gora at 13.30 while at 14.00 the post-folk band "Madara" under the leadership of cellist and songwriter Madara Fogelmane combines several professional musicians and sticks to mythical nature moods in its repertoire will offer a synthesis of traditional and contemporary in its music the band "Rahu the Fool" will perform in a cosy retro atmosphere the group "Jauno Jāņu orķestris" will present original songs with folk lyrics by Juris Kaukulis There will also be an Easter swing and various creative workshops for families and children - egg decorating creating Easter symbols and characters from natural materials; each visitor will be able to create their own special Easter egg and bunny the Centre for Culture and Folk Art "Small Guild" will host the Easter concert "The Coming of the Light" with Ilze Ozoliņa (piano) The musicians want to express a hope based on faith - this is not the twilight of dusk in the Kokari Hall and outdoor area of the Mežaparks Grand Stage we will celebrate the Second Easter with educational The event will open with the science show "Laboratorium" with demonstrations of physics and chemistry experiments Visitors will be invited to make slides in the Easter spirit paint eggs and take part in various workshops There will be games and dances with the folklore group "Teikas muzikanti" The Easter picnic programme will be hosted by Katrīna Feldmane At the end of the festivities at 15.00 in the Kokari Hall you will have the opportunity to listen to a concert by the Biruta Ozoliņa Trio a masterclass for children with the illusionist Edžus Kauke will take place at the Culture Palace "Ziemeļblāzma" At 15.00 Concert "Musical Illusions for the Second Easter" Free invitations from on 14 March, in “Biļešu paradīze” booking-offices and at www.bilesuparadize.lv Easter events in Riga will end at 18.00 at Riga St where excerpts from George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah" will be performed under the artistic direction of Andris Veismans The concert will feature the Riga Chamber Choir "Ave Sol" the Vidzeme Chamber Orchestra and the choir soloists who together will create an unforgettable musical journey Further information: Tatjana Smirnova, Project Coordinator of the Department of External Communication of the Communication Department of the Riga Municipality, e-mail: tsmirnova11@riga.lv the Ferris wheel reaches a height of 65 metres and offers a beautiful panorama over Riga The maximum capacity per cabin is 8 people or 600 kilograms as the cab includes both heating and air conditioning Latvijas Radio observed that a small queue had already formed after the ticket office opened at around 1 p.m.  One ride lasts 15 minutes and costs €17 per adult with some saying it is too high compared to similar projects in other European countries.  which corresponds to the current market situation If someone tries to compare the price with other carriages a member of the board of the project developer explaining that the project was developed during the pandemic and the war started by Russia with different systems that may not be immediately obvious there are several systems in each cabin at the top to make the wheel safer," Uspenskis explained He admitted that the price could change in the future and promised that the price will not increase either The project managers also said that the wheel is expected to be illuminated during the dark hours of the day.  The environmental object "RIGA" with the cat from the animated film "Flow" has been moved from Brīvības Square to Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums) where it will continue to delight Riga's residents and tourists It is planned that the main character of the animated film "Flow" - the cat - will be placed on the environmental object "RIGA" in Town Hall Square (Rātslaukums) until the end of the tourist season but if necessary it may be temporarily removed due to other events The robbery took place at the store "Baltic Watches" One person was injured and taken to a medical facility According to information available to Latvian Television the injured person is a store security guard; the injuries are not life-threatening The State Police said that on Tuesday afternoon an armed robbery of a watch shop took place in the Old Town According to the information available to the police the perpetrators drove a dark-coloured VW Golf 5 with stolen registration plates across the Akmens Bridge in Rīga The State Police invites citizens to look at the pictures of the alleged perpetrators and the car If the persons have been identified or seen or if the car has been seen moving or parked in unusual places they are asked to report to the police by calling 112 or 27892080 Photo: Valsts polcijaPhoto: Valsts polcija Witnesses who saw what happened in the Old Town at the intersection of Audēju Street and Skārņu Street Upon receiving information about the event the State Police immediately launched a search operation and initially issued a special plan traffic movements were affected in parts of the capital the State Police said that the special plan "Trap" had been lifted The police continue to work in a reinforced mode with other methods The State Police said that the material damage caused by the robbers was still being clarified criminal proceedings have been initiated under Article 176(4) of the Criminal Law - for robbery if committed with the use of firearms or explosive substances or if it involves causing serious bodily injury to the victim or if it has caused other serious consequences One of the versions could be that it is a mobile travelling group that deals with such crimes Chief of the Criminal Police Department of the Riga Region Directorate of the State Police on the Latvian Television programme "Morning Panorama" on Wednesday "In addition to the information provided yesterday about the persons wanted on suspicion of committing armed robbery we obtained quite a lot of additional video information; we know in detail the route of movement of these persons We have received various types of information from citizens about the possible identity of the wanted persons," Kronbergs said adding that the investigation "has resulted in the seizure of several objects and there is work for both investigators and forensic officers that will allow us to identify these persons." The police spokesman reminds the public to under no circumstances take any measures to apprehend these persons themselves Riga and the German city of Bremen are celebrating the 40th anniversary of their twinning this year Ozola will meet with the Mayor of Bremen and the President of the Bremen State Parliament to discuss future cooperation in the areas of digitalisation as well as strengthening economic ties between the two cities The delegation from the Latvian capital will include the Latvian Ambassador in Germany Alda Vanaga the Director of the Riga Digital Agency Arnis Gulbis as well as representatives from the Department of Education Culture and Sports and the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency “Riga and Bremen are united by close historical ties and a deep respect for cultural and historical heritage while also striving for the modern and contemporary it was established one of the first connections with Western Europe after almost 50 years of occupation and isolation This is also symbolically reflected in the statue of the Bremen Town Musicians given to us and Rooster try to scare away robbers by peeking through a gap in the Iron Curtain I am pleased that we have managed to activate cooperation between the cities of Riga and Bremen in the recent years "The Latvian Embassy in Germany also has a great deal of merit in this process which Riga truly appreciates," emphasises the Deputy Mayor Linda Ozola Ozola will present a symbolic gift to Bremen on behalf of Riga – a framed photograph depicting the sculpture "The Bremen Town Musicians" in Riga representatives of the city of Riga will visit the Bremen Police Headquarters where they will learn about the latest developments in police work and discuss the further development of cooperation between the Bremen and Riga police forces a mutual exchange of experiences in the field of digitalisation is planned emphasising the achievements and plans in the implementation of the smart city concept and the use of artificial intelligence tools in the city It is also planned to attend an adult education institution which offers various lifelong learning courses It is planned to discuss possible cooperation in learning the German language and its further implementation in the schools of local governments The delegation will visit the Bremen state parliament and meet with its president who represents the Social Democratic Party (SDP) The delegation will also meet with Frank Imhoff who is the Chairman of the German Christian Democratic Union (CDU) fraction in the Bremen parliament and will visit Riga in May It is also planned to visit the Art Center (Zentrum für Kunst) to get to know the Center's activities better as well as learn more about Bremen's experience as a UNESCO Creative City which has acquired the status of "City of Literature" representatives of the cities of Riga and Bremen will attend and open a Baltic Jazz concert evening Lithuania and Estonia will perform and which will be part of the events marking the 40th anniversary of the twinning of Bremen and Riga Latvia will be represented at the concert by the Matīs Čudars Trio 2025" is Europe's most important jazz event within which the brightest jazz representatives of the Baltic States have come together this year to highlight the diversity of jazz and a new The official twinning of the two cities began on 15 February 1985 with the signing of a twinning agreement and has since grown and developed covering various areas important to both cities the relationship between Bremen and Riga goes back much further as well as the Bremen bishop Albrecht von Buxthoeven who participated in the founding of Riga in 1201 the pearl of Riga's Art Nouveau – Alberta Street – is named after him Peter's Church and which was opened on 7 May 1991 by a delegation of the Bremen Senate led by Senator V close cooperation between the two cities has developed in the field of culture and there is also a regular exchange of experience between representatives of the Riga Municipal Police and the Bremen Police This visit will strengthen existing and promote the development of new aspects of cooperation The Bremen delegation's visit to Riga is planned to take place in the second half of this year Information was prepared by Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Project Coordinator at External Communication Division of Riga Municipality Communication Department, e-mail: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv the concert "Zemītis Families at Easter" will take place at the "Ziemeļblāzma" where guitarist Kaspars Zemītis and his family will perform original songs Free invitations at the Biļešu Paradīze box offices and website Another concert will take place at St John's Church at 19:00 and will feature the Riga Orchestra Riga Ave Sol Chamber Choir and conductor Andris Veismanis Free invitations at the Biļešu Paradīze box office and website the Riga Porcelain Museum will host creative workshops "Easter" which will begin with a lecture on Latvian porcelain cutlery and small ceramics the Riga Art Nouveau Centre Museum will host a concert "Come where the Easter songs and games of musician and educator Baiba Ērgle will delight both children and adults residents of the neighbourhoods of Pārdaugava are invited to gather at the cultural centre "Imanta" to celebrate the arrival of spring participate in festive educational activities - egg dyeing and cooking master classes as well as enjoy the Riga Dance Club games and a concert by the post-folklore group "Kaligo" in the courtyard of the cultural centre "Imanta".  Easter rituals and games with the folklore group "Skandinieki" are planned starting at 11:00 and at 12:00 an Easter morning with Ričijs Rū and friends for the little Easter celebrants the poetry of Imants Ziedonis and Knuts Skujenieks will be performed by Goran Gora while at 14:00 the post-folk group "Madara" the group "Rahu the Fool" will play in cosy retro moods the group "Jauno Jāņu orķestris" will present original songs with folk lyrics by Juris Kaukulis making Easter symbols and characters from natural materials; each visitor will be able to create their own special Easter egg and bunny the Culture and Folk Art Centre "Small Guild" will host the Easter concert "The Coming of Light" with Ilze Ozoliņa (piano) The musicians wish to express a hope founded in faith - this is not the twilight of the dusk On 21 April, from 12.00 In the Kokari Hall and outdoor area of the Mežaparks Grand the Second Easter will be celebrated with educational The event will open with the science show "Laboratorium" with demonstrations of physics and chemistry experiments Visitors will be invited to make slimes in the Easter spirit The Easter picnic programme will be hosted by Katrīna Feldmane a concert by the Biruta Ozoliņa Trio will take place in the Kokari Hall a masterclass for children with illusionist Edžus Kauķis will take place at the Culture Palace "Ziemeļblāzma" At 15:00 a concert "Musical Illusions at the Second Easter" will take place Easter events in Riga will end at 18:00 at Riga St where excerpts from George Frideric Handel's oratorio "Messiah" will be performed under the artistic direction of Andris Veismanis The concert will feature the Riga Ave Sol Chamber Choir the International EUROCITIES Mobility Forum will take place in Riga bringing together around 150 experts from all over Europe The main theme of this year will be "Smart and integrated transport systems for a sustainable urban future" which will focus on the issues of the development of urban transport systems and public transport 5G technologies and data-driven innovations fostering cooperation between cities and sharing best practices to develop smart Riga will showcase various projects and local solutions such as the Rail Baltica project smart traffic lights and shared mobility initiatives that promote sustainable transport infrastructure there will be a panel discussion on transport technology innovations in cities with participation of experts from Turin and Riga will be represented by Arnis Gulbis experts will discuss 30 km/h speed limit zones and traffic speed management data and the impact of the European Union Declaration on Cycling on cycling development followed by the discussion of European city leaders (Malmo Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) initiatives and cooperation with Member States There will also be a panel discussion on major transport infrastructure projects political leadership and public involvement The discussions will bring together politicians from different European cities Riga will be represented in these discussions by Jānis Lange the Chair of the Urban Development Committee of the Riga City Council The discussions will be followed by four panel sessions where experts from London Brussels and other cities will consider the establishment of low emission zones and regulatory framework accessible and people-centred street spaces the urban shift towards automated mobility and changing public behaviour Lyon and Riga will share their success stories on transport mobility development participants will go on a business visit to the city to get to know the implemented projects in Riga and its future development plans on site Participants will look at the development of Rail Baltica infrastructure pedestrian infrastructure in the Knowledge Mile area the pilot project area of Riga Technical University the development of Riga's public transport infrastructure (hydrogen filling station and innovative electric bus charging station) and the future territory of low emission zone of Riga The Forum is organised by Riga City Agency "Riga Digital Agency" in cooperation with the Mobility Planning Board of the City Development Department. The Forum will take place at the University of Latvia, House of Science. The full programme is available here: https://eurocities.idloom.events/Mobility_Forum_2025/pages/programme recent years have seen a new tradition taking root which brings friends and families together around a "white tablecloth" to share memories of the past and hopes for the future Others make it a point to don folk dress for the day Russia's brutal invasion of Ukraine has caused many people to reflect on the privileges of nationhood and Latvia's crucial memberships of the European Union and NATO.   The Latvian capital, Rīga, has a wide variety of celebratory events planned under the slogan of 'Democracy week' and public transport in Rīga is free all day on May 4.  Similar things will be taking place in other towns and cities, while the honor of hosting the annual military parade goes to the city of Talsi LSM will have live coverage of events in Talsi and Rīga throughout the day To learn more about the events leading up to the restoration of Latvia's independence you might like to watch the short LTV documentary below which gives an excellent overview of those extraordinary times Riga has achieved several notable successes in international rankings including securing 4th place in the "European Best Destinations 2024" Christmas Market TOP This event is significant in the European tourism calendar attracting thousands of participants and fostering interest in various European cities and events This year's vote saw a record-breaking number of participants—753,382 travellers from 152 countries The Riga Christmas Market will be open from November 29 to January 2 and impressive light decorations that create a magical winter wonderland have also brought Riga's achievements to the forefront These publications have acknowledged Riga as Europe's best destination for Christmas lights in their special edition further solidifying Riga's status as a top Christmas destination Residents and guests of Riga are invited to explore the websites liveriga.com and christmas.riga.lv specially created for the Christmas season These platforms showcase the most captivating and distinctive activities and events for experiencing the winter charm of Riga The 65-metre-high Ferris wheel is expected to be open in all seasons as its cabins are equipped with both air conditioning and heating It will be able to accommodate 240 passengers at a time - eight per cabin A ride on the Ferris wheel will last 15 minutes and will cost €17 for adults €15 for students with an ISIC card and €15 for pensioners There will also be various discounts for certain groups of visitors All tickets will be available from the ticket office at the foot of the wheel The Panorama Wheel will be open on Thursdays from 13:00 to 21:00 and from Friday to Monday from 11:00 to 23:00 During the construction of the Ferris wheel a part of the historical Uzvaras Park between Uzvaras Boulevard Slokas Street and Aleksandra Grīna Boulevard was also landscaped the opening of the Ferris wheel has been rather delayed as it was initially promised to open as early as August 2024 Around €30 million will be spent on repairs The resurfacing and upgrading work in Rīga will take the whole construction season but some of the work has to be completed before the Youth School Song and Dance Festival The major asphalt resurfacing works are planned for Ganību Dam the section from Pētersalas Street to the bridge over Sarkandaugava Vecāķu Prospekts from Emmas Street to Palejas Street Kārļa Ulmaņa Drive from Liepājas Street to Jaunmoku Street and Biķernieku Street from Ulbrokas Street to Juglas Street roundabout Gravel street pavement improvement works are planned in Jugla Dārziņi and other neighbourhoods of the city 52 asphalted streets or their sections with an area of 500 thousand square metres as well as 60 gravel streets or their sections with an area of 77.5 thousand square metres "Our aim is to overhaul all of Riga's streets to stop their decay which is the result of years of neglected street maintenance investment in street repairs will be around €30 million - the same as last year," said Vilnis Ķirsis (New Unity) Part of the asphalting work should be completed by the School Youth Song and Dance Festival in the summer The resurfacing and improvement works in Rīga will last the whole construction season - until late autumn which may significantly affect the movement of cars and public transport as well as the mobility of micro-mobility tools and pedestrians built in the eclectic style between 1859 and 1864 are an architectural monument of local significance designed by Baltic German architect Ludwig Bohnstedt (who also designed the Latvian Opera house) at the moment they look quite shabby even though they are directly opposite the main government building and adjacent to delightful Vērmanes park The property consists of a land plot of 4,689 square meters and a group of buildings with a total area of ​​7,112 square meters It currently houses the restaurant "Vernisāža/Cigar Club" purchased the Riga entertainment center Vernisāža for 6.747 million lats Land Registry information shows that in July 2017 the property was purchased by SIA "Euro Luxe Trading Investments" for 6.03 million euros SIA "Egg Energy" purchased 19% of the shares for three million euros "Euro Luxe Trading Investments" currently owns 81% of the shares "Euro Luxe Trading Investments" had a turnover of 43,944 euros in 2023 and suffered losses of 766,524 euros The company was registered in the summer of 2017 but is currently owned by Mhitar Mhitarjan Egg Energy's turnover in 2023 was 4 million euros deputy manager for port development at the Freeport of Rīga said that 85 cruise ship visits from various European and US operators have been booked in Riga this year while 90 ship visits have been booked for next year the first cruise ship of the season in Riga - the Ambience from the British cruise company Ambassador - was welcomed in February while the next visit is scheduled for Saturday when the French cruise line Ponant's Le Champlain will call at the Port of Rīga Sūna added that there is a strong interest from international cruise operators in Riga A new passenger ship terminal is planned to be developed in the Eksportosta district in cooperation with the private investor Riga RoPax Terminal Riga could welcome up to 150 cruise ships and 540 ships in the passenger and cargo segments per year with a new passenger terminal the new terminal could accommodate around 800,000 passengers in its first year of operation the design competition for the new Riga RoPax Terminal was won by Zaha Hadid Architects a British architectural practice founded by architect Zaha Hadid The new passenger ship terminal is planned to be built by 2030 the Port of Riga handled a total of 80,870 cruise ship passengers when 81,681 cruise ship passengers were handled a total of 66 ship visits were planned in the Port of Rīga The Port of Rīga is the largest port in Latvia in terms of cargo handled Riga residents and city guests are invited to welcome the New Year 2025 in six squares of Old Riga - Rāts square the parallel street of 11 November embankment between Poļu and Bīskapa gāte and the stretch of Kaļķu Street between Vaļņu Street and Aspazijas boulevard sing and joyfully celebrate the New Year in a cheerful atmosphere The New Year celebrations will take place from 31 December at 21.00 until 1 January at 02.00 The New Year celebrations will feature performances by popular and well-loved DJs from both Latvia and abroad the facades of the buildings will be decorated with festive video projections created by young artists DJ Monsta and TV presenter Armands Simsons will provide the cheer and dancing in the Old Town squares everyone will join in a joint time countdown to ring in the New Year together Hot and refreshing drinks as well as snacks will be available for the convenience of festive visitors at event venues maps of the dance areas of the New year's celebration of the Riga City will be placed so that each person can find the right square for him or her You can find out more about Advent, Christmas and New Year’s Eve events in Riga on the website www.kultura.riga.lv and by following the information on the Riga City Council’s social media pages “Rīga” and “Rīgā notiek” Information was prepared by: Ineta Miglāne, project coordinator, External Communication Division of the Communications Department of the Riga City Council, e-mail: ineta.miglane@riga.lv The proposal to restore night public transport has been developed by a specially established working group of the Riga City Council Riga had eight nighttime public transport routes but due to a decrease in passenger numbers and the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic the nighttime public transport routes were completely cancelled Riga Municipality will assess whether there is passenger demand for such a service the question of introducing night public transport on permanent routes will be assessed The pilot project plans to restore night public transport during the warm months of the year Night public transport will be restored on Friday-Saturday and Saturday-Sunday nights connecting the city centre with the neighbourhoods The plan is to run them from the centre to Imanta and Dreiliņi in a circular pattern to cover more neighbourhoods It will run from the centre of Rīga to the neighbourhoods five times - at midnight Detailed bus route and stops will be available on the website of Rīgas Satiksme "rigassatiksme.lv" and in the app Fares and usage procedures will remain the same as for daily routes Rīgas Satiksme will receive additional funding of EUR 98,769 This is related to the provision of the service So everything is factored in and that is the maximum cost at this volume reduces the amount of money needed," said Ginette Innusa The issue of reintroducing night public transport was endorsed by the Traffic and Transport Committee on 28 April The issue will be further discussed at a Riga City Council meeting and at the Commission for the Licensing of Commercial Passenger Transport A robbery at a luxury watch store in Old Riga may have been carried out by a mobile organized criminal group known for this type of crime head of the Criminal Police Division of the Riga Regional Department of the State Police Speaking in an interview on Latvian Television’s “Rīta Panorāma” Kronbergs said this is one of the current lines of investigation international cooperation has been activated in the investigation including collaboration with agencies from neighbouring countries and Europol The police have also received a significant amount of information from the public — including tips from Latvians living abroad — regarding the possible identities of the robbers Authorities have successfully traced the suspects’ travel route though the perpetrators have not yet been apprehended several items have been seized during the investigation that will help identify the suspects He declined to comment on the medical condition of the store employee injured during the robbery but confirmed that the injuries were not caused by a firearm Kronbergs urged anyone with relevant information to contact the police but strongly advised against attempting to detain the suspects themselves the exclusive watch store “Baltic Watches” in Old Riga was robbed by assailants using firearms or weapon-like objects A video shared on social media shows four masked robbers fleeing the store with one of them releasing an unknown substance from a canister toward the store’s entrance the suspects escaped in a dark-coloured Volkswagen Golf 5 with stolen license plates A criminal case has been initiated under Section 176 Part 4 of the Latvian Criminal Law — for robbery involving the use of firearms or explosives or where serious bodily harm is inflicted on the victim or where the robbery results in other serious consequences The exact material damages to the store are still being assessed LETA was unable to reach representatives of the store’s owner for comment on Tuesday Baltic Watches had a turnover of 4.194 million euros — an elevenfold increase from 378 951 euros in 2022 the company’s profit in 2023 was 176 241 euros Baltic Watches was founded in 2016 with a share capital of 2 800 euros The sole owner of the company is Ģirts Strencis Also read: Deputies debate: Should former convicted MPs be banned from parliament premises? Follow us on Facebook and X The state plans to divert around EUR 22.2 million of EU fund funding for the establishment of third category shelters from which Riga could receive EUR 5.8 million funding for the improvement of 148 shelters the Minister for the Interior Rihards Kozlovskis announced at a press conference on Tuesday For the improvement of 148 existing shelters Riga will receive EUR 5.8 million from EU funds Shelters are in municipal properties - schools Thank you to the Ministry of the Interior for this special programme for the security of Latvian citizens We greatly appreciate the expert-examination and ongoing cooperation of colleagues of the State Fire and Rescue Service in the survey of shelters and places safe for asylum,” – says Riga Mayor Vilnis Ķirsis “Co-operation with owners of private buildings is very important for Riga municipality therefore together with the State Fire and Rescue Service we plan to start a pilot project that promotes this co-operation We will survey the basements of apartment buildings in order to develop guidelines for adapting these basements to the needs of shelters as well as provide other types of support to apartment house owners,” says Gints Reinsons the head of Riga City Council Civil Protection and Operational Information Administration The State Fire and Rescue Service in Riga has currently surveyed 579 premises suitable for asylum Of the 317 premises owned by the municipality 218 were found to be appropriate or partially appropriate warehouses) and 36 other buildings such as apartment buildings Riga Municipality has currently carried out the marking of the places of shelters at 49 sites and there are eight other objects in the process the Ministry of Interior submitted amendments to the Civil Protection and Disaster Management Law to the Saeima which strengthens the concept of shelter in legislation provides for mandatory construction of shelters for individual groups of buildings as well as provides for regulations for establishment adaptation and use of shelters in case of military conflict The Ministry of Interior has also prepared a draft Cabinet order with a list of facilities that will be eligible for ERAF funding to adapt and equip Category III shelters Category III shelters are designed to mitigate the impact of an explosion shock wave and chippings They may be set up in basements or underground floors of different structures (for example Guidelines (recommendations) on minimum requirements for the installation of a Category III shelter are available from: https://www.vugd.gov.lv/lv/vadlinijas-rekomendacijas-par-minimalajam-prasibam-iii-kategorijas-patvertnes-ierikosanai the operation of free-access drinking water filling points which were suspended during the winter season will gradually resume in Riga over the Easter holidays fountains under the control of the local government are also resuming their operation we installed 11 new free taps in various neighbourhoods of Riga providing an opportunity to drink for skaters and other adherents of an active and sporty lifestyle Water from the city water supply is provided for these water filling points "Promoting access to drinking water in the capital is one of our priorities and this year we plan to build at least ten new free taps in various neighbourhoods of Riga," emphasises Viesturs Zeps Chairman of the Housing and Environment Committee of the Riga City Council The first free taps will be activated in parks where Easter celebrations are planned – two in the Park Uzvara as well as in the Park Ziemeļblāzma and Opera Square near the Old Riga It is planned that the Central Market free tap will also begin operation after which the others will be gradually tested and connected There are currently more than 30 drinking water filling points in Riga Only four of the free taps managed by LLC "Rīgas ūdens" do not cease their operation in winter (at 133 Jūrmalas gatve 17 Mazā Vējzaķsala and 6 Kundziņsala 9th Transverse Line) but the rest are restored to operation in the summer season it is planned to create approximately ten new free taps the locations for their installation will be selected by the Riga Municipality Housing and Environment Department in consultation with neighbourhood associations You can follow the current situation on the map of free taps on the "Rīgas ūdens" website: https://www.rigasudens.lv/lv/udens-brivkranu-karte The fountain season has already been opened by the municipal company "Rīgas meži" - fountains in Opera Square and Vērmanes Garden have begun operating the other fountains will also be activated There are 13 fountains under the supervision of the Riga Municipality – ten stationary and three floating which have been transferred to the management of the company "Rīgas meži" are fond of Riga's largest fountain - at the Congress House and two fountains with pools on the Esplanade square The pride of Riga is located in the Vērmanes Garden - the oldest fountain "Seasons" Its sculpture was made in Berlin and installed in 1869 and was the most luxurious decorative sculptural work of its type in the city at the time One of the most famous fountains in Riga – “Nympha” – is located near the Latvian National Opera is a monument of art of national importance A bronze copy of the fountain sculptures was created in 1986 by sculptor Mirdza Lukaža; the original is kept in the Rundāle Palace The decorative pool in Grīziņkalns near the sculpture "Lutausis" and the reconstructed pool in the Ziedoņdārzs Park will also delight and cool off both young and old on hot summer days The Ziedoņdārzs Park also houses the renovated fountain “Vardītes,” which was built at the same time as the park was being built The fountain “Bastejkalns Cascade” is located by the City Canal and three floating fountains are located in the canal itself The range of fountains is planned to be expanded by gradually renovating the fountain "Sumpurnis Mātesmeita" in the Kronvalda Park and the Viesturdārzas fountain Information was prepared by Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Acting Director at the External Communication Department of the Riga City Council, e-mail: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv The bright red minibuses with the silhouette of an aeroplane on the side have been out of sight in Rīga and at the airport for a week cut the number of services by around 30% for the winter season telling Latvian Radio that it would run more often in the new season than it did last year it has decided to stop doing business on the route Baltic Business Development Director at Lux Express explained that "despite the fact that people are very interested in our service demand on this route was much lower than on our Liepāja and Daugavpils routes This led us to decide to concentrate our efforts on the routes with the highest demand." At the end of May the carrier is preparing to open a new route Rīga-Liepāja-Klaipeda The number of passengers carried on the Rīga public bus route 22 where the ticket is more than twice as cheap as the one offered by Lux Express has not changed significantly after the closure of the commercial route the Rīga municipal company Rīgas Satiksme increased the number of services said Baiba Bartaševiča-Feldmane who said that the company would assess the possibility of increasing the number of services even further potentially due to even higher passenger numbers But the hope of restoring commercial shuttle routes between Rīga city centre and the airport may not be completely gone - the airport said it is in talks with several potential carriers the 3rd International Choir Competition “Rīga Sings” will take place in Riga during which the Imants Kokars Choir Award will also be presented Latvia is internationally associated as the "land that sings" while Riga in 2025 will once again confirm its status as an ideal venue for international choral singing events Based on the excellent performance of the World Choir Olympiad in Riga in 2014 the Nations Grand Prix Riga and success of the 3rd European Choir Olympiad in 2017 Riga has become a hub for international choral competitions “Riga Sings” – the International Choir Competition and Imants Kokars Choir Award was held for the first time in 2019 the competition will welcome participants from 12 countries – Austria Turkey and Latvia – a total of more than 1200 singers who will compete in categories of various choral music genres and levels of difficulty and whose performances will be judged by an international jury This event honours the world-renowned Latvian choir conductor and teacher Imants Kokars whose contribution to the development of choral singing is well known both in Latvia and around the world The competition will be held in 13 different categories for mixed and single voice choirs Several friendship concerts will also be held during the competition which will introduce Riga residents to the choral singing traditions of different nations and allow foreign guests to experience Latvian hospitality The jury of the 3rd International Choir Competition will include conductors Andris Veismanis (LV) The jury of the Imants Kokars Choir Award: Andris Veismanis (LV) The special moment of the event will be the final competition between the category winners who will compete for the "Imantas Kokars Choir Award" – a unique monument to our outstanding choir conductor The competition and concerts will take place at the Small Guild You can follow the competition news on the social media accounts of "Riga Sings 2025" The opening and closing events of the competition will be broadcast live on TV4 The airport has discussed such plans with both carriers in America and the Latvian national airline airBaltic that we definitely want to have a direct flight from Riga Airport to at least New York and we are actively working on it," said the airport chief She recently met with a representative of the US airline Delta who indicated that the closest place in Eastern Europe to which the airline flies currently is the Czech capital Prague "They have also tried to open flights to Dubrovnik [in Croatia] last season but the number of passengers they are interested in per year is around a million anywhere where there is less than a million there are also low-cost airlines in the US that could fly to Riga with smaller planes "We are talking to both those airlines and companies like Delta we have to take into account that we have airBaltic here which could connect these flights throughout the Baltics and Scandinavia," said Odiņa assessing that a large number of passengers would likely also use connections to the USA from Rīga We also see that there are at least 200,000 [passengers] a year who are already traveling [from Rīga] to America I think each of us will be happy to use this opportunity [..] I think that then the number of passengers will grow very Odiņa also said that the possibility of providing direct flights to Canada is also being considered because the airspace over Russia is closed This gives aircraft operators registered in Latvia the right to operate commercial flights to US airports The Riga-New York route is part of the airline's long-term vision One of these preconditions is good cooperation with partners in Latvia and the Baltic States The establishment of the operations management center demonstrates the airline's long-term plans for Latvia and highlights Latvia's strategic role in the aviation industry in the region The new management center will act as Norse's operational hub crew scheduling and online communication with pilots dispatchers and other service teams to manage changes and ensure safe and efficient operations Norse Atlantic Airways plans to create 80 new jobs at its international business center in Latvia The Riga office will complement the airline's existing offices in Norway A flight of Latvian national airline airBaltic from Sofia and a flight of Hungarian low-cost airline WizzAir from Kutaisi were diverted from Riga Airport to Vilnius Airport while a flight of Finnish national airline Finnair returned to Helsinki Vincevs confirmed that a drone had been detected in the vicinity of Riga Airport on Monday evening, in the landing path of the aircraft and that the airport had been closed for approximately 30 minutes as part of a security procedure Vincevs noted that departures were also closed during this period which delayed the departure of the Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul Representatives of the State Police said that they had received information about an object resembling a drone seen over the airport area Sakura trees were planted in Uzvaras Park in 2012 thanks to the Embassy of Japan in Riga Rīgans rush to capture the blossoming trees in photos and this week with its summery weather promises to be no exception The State Police confirmed to Latvian Radio that two underage boys were found in an apartment in Pļavnieki with no signs of life The police have detained the holder of the weapon and confirmed that the weapon was officially registered According to information available to Latvian Radio both boys were 12 years old and were found to have been shot in the head Criminal proceedings have been initiated in connection with the incident The police are investigating the case and refrain from further comment The Emergency Medical Service (NMPD) reports that after 17:00 Friday evening it received a call to an incident in Riga where two children had died and the NMPD team was unable to save their lives Tourism in Riga is steadily renewing and increasing in volume: 69,406 foreign visitors were welcomed in January by the capital of Latvia and it is by 34% more than in January of last year Information summarised by Riga Tourism and Investment Agency (RITA) shows that the rapid increase in the number of tourists was boosted by visitors from the Scandinavian countries “Riga strengthens its place among the popular tourism destinations of Europe and the latest data confirm increase in the number of tourists Despite the external factors affecting the sector of tourism since 2019 including COVID pandemic and the war started by Russia in Ukraine and despite constantly disseminated myths Riga has purposefully worked in our target markets in the Western European countries Scandinavia and elsewhere achieving the results in replacing the flow of tourists previously coming from agressor countries Riga is the most significant tourism centre in Latvia and we will continue our investments in developing tourism,” emphasised Vilnis Ķirsis the Director of Radisson Blu Latvia Conference & Spa Hotel Sales and Marketing: “The latest statistical data show that the intensity of load on hotels in Latvia has increased this January in relation to the same period of the last year There is also a small increase in intensity of load in comparison to 2019 We explain this increase in our hotel with separate successfully implemented projects related to accommodation of larger groups not only the intensity indicators are significant but also the average price for a hotel room which is still lower than it was in 2019 We think that it can still be explained with lower demand of business group segment due to geopolitical factors we are actively working together with the local partners to strengthen the regional image as a safe and attractive destination our hotel in cooperation with RITA and LIAA held a forum which was significant for the sector gathering organisers from association segment events and conferences from across the whole world It allowed us to present Riga as a safe and high-quality destination for international events.” The most visitors to Riga came from Lithuania: 8,911 visitors Estonia took the second place with 8,745 visitors which is an increase by more than 50% in comparison with the last year The Great Britain placed third with 6,883 visitors and an increase of 33% The number of visitors from Germany was 4,589 in January achieving an increase by 18%; and 3,450 visitors arrived in Riga from Finland an increase by 41% in comparison with previous data The highest rate of increase was observed in the number of visitors from Denmark skyrocketing by 90%; number of visitors from Norway increased by 75% Foreign visitors spent a total of 123,626 days in Riga an increase of 35% in comparison with the relevant period of the previous year The largest number of days spent was registered from Lithuania Visitors from the Great Britain spent 12,635 days Riga successfully adapts to the global changes in tourism sector as the previously dominant Russian tourists forming 15-30 % depending on the season are now replaced with visitors from the Western countries Director of Riga Investment and Tourism Agency: “Thanks to tourism duty the marketing budget of Riga has increased allowing us to implement the city marketing activities with more purpose and efficiency We see that campaigns bring results as shown by interest from the international media visits of opinion leaders and the stable positions of Riga in the international tops We will strategically keep up the started work implementing upgraded and dynamic campaigns that make Riga more attractive to tourists and investors Our task is not only to increase the number of tourists but also attract solvent visitors actively supporting the local economy we will continue our support for large events thanks to such newly created events of culture such as Riga Art Week and Riga Art Fair we create new content strengthening the image of culture and art in Riga promoting the international recognition of the city We will also continue our work on conference support programme.” Information was prepared by Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Project Coordinator at External Communication Division of Riga City Council Communication Department, phone: +371 26007509, email: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv circular structure has been certified as safe and should soon be taking passengers on the roundest of round trips "We are very pleased with what we have accomplished - we have implemented this large-scale project and gained valuable experience The Riga Ferris Wheel is almost ready to welcome visitors the final work is under way on the development of the website as well as on activities that will entertain visitors in the park territory including the digital gallery of Riga's historical landscapes in collaboration with the art gallery "Zuzeum" member of the board of SIA "RPR Operators" Work is still being carried out on the installation of a smart lighting system and according to the operators urther the wheel will undergo further international certification in early April by German certification experts from TÜV Rheinland The 65-meter-high Ferris wheel will likely become a major draw to the less-visited left bank of the Daugava River It will be suitable for use in all seasons as its cabins are equipped with both air conditioning and heating and will be able to accommodate 240 passengers at a time – eight in each cabin Tickets for the Riga Ferris Wheel will be available for purchase at the box office at the foot of the Ferris Wheel Ticket prices and the Ferris Wheel's precise opening date have yet to be confirmed Various events and concerts in churches and concert halls are planned in Riga during the Christmas season inviting both residents and visitors to the capital a series of concerts will be held at Riga Dome for the enjoyment of the citizens and guests of Riga - on 20 December at 19.00 there will be a Christmas concert of the boys' choir with conductor Mārtiņš Klišāns saxophonist Aigars Raumans and organist Aigars Reinis On 21 and 23 December at 19.00 there will be a concert of organ music with Ilze Barlo the Riga Dome will host a concert "With the Sound of Bells" Tickets for all these concerts are available from "Biļešu paradīze" Advent concert series "Colours of the Seasons Winter Lights" at the Ave Sol Concert Hall on 20 December at 19.00 the concert "Pikoties" will feature the women's chamber choir "Cantus" percussionist Ēriks Miezis and saxophonist Klāvs Vuškāns the concert "Starlight" will feature the mixed choir "Salve" with Aija Ziņģīte at the organ everyone is invited to morning parties in the city's neighbourhoods with the brilliant Ilona Bagele and Vairis Nartišs from 13.00 until 13.35 at Ziemeļblāzmas Park and on 24 December from 11.00 until 11.35 at Bolderāja and from 13.00 until 13.35 at Arkādijas Park the attractive dixieland "Sunny Groove Dixie" will perform in Ziedoņdārzs the festivities will also be celebrated at Kaņepes Culture Centre where on 20 December from 19.00 the programme "Festive Winter" will take place with a solo concert by pianist and composer Rūdolfs Macats music by Jakob Noiman Festival Band and a fire performance at 22.00 by fire show architect and artist Kristaps Krolls a specially created DJ set with Latvian tunes will start the musicians of the Latvian Radio Choir and their associates will perform at the Kaņepes Culture Centre there will be a masterclass on festive cakes and gingerbread icing for children the cellist Pauls Ēriks Skujiņš will perform the concert programme "Silent Transmission" will take place in the Tallinas Street Quarter the concert "With Christmas Songs" at the Riga Dome will feature Elīna Šimkus the Jasmīna choir and the mixed choir "Vēja balss" Tickets are available in the outlets of "Biļešu paradīze" The annual charity campaign "Angels over Latvia" which aims to help more than 312 children across Latvia to take their first steps get into school or receive help in emergency situations will also take place in Town Hall Square at 19.30 on the Fourth of Advent The concert will feature popular bands and soloists - Dons People are invited to donate on the websites of "Angels over Latvia" and the Children's Hospital Foundation as well as in the donation boxes of "Jysk" and "Rimi" at Torņkalns Church from 12.45 until 16.00 everyone is invited to visit the Christmas Garden in Torņkalns and the event "12 Holy Nights" to participate in a creative workshop capture heartfelt moments in the photo corner The area includes environmental and installation objects a shelter with creative workshops and other activities for families with children as well as 12 illuminated reflection stands An open-air concert will also be held on Christmas Day from 13.00 until 16.00 with performances by the vocal group "Knīpas un knauķi" The environment is also suitable for people with reduced mobility On 27 December at 19.00 in the cultural centre "Imanta" the choir "Muklājs" will perform Christmas with the Petrauski brothers The concert will include both premieres and traditional Christmas melodies Invitations are available in the box offices of "Biļešu paradīze” You can find out more about Advent, Christmas and New Year’s Eve events in Riga on the website www.kultura.riga.lv and by following the information on the Riga City Council’s social media pages “Rīga” and “Rīgā notiek” Fans of the Dutch football club Ajax Amsterdam caused some public disturbances in the Old Town before Thursday night's match against RFS shooting firecrackers at the foot of the Freedom Monument littering, and getting into a small brawl with a Latvian Television journalist In an interview with Latvian Radio's "Good Morning" program Ruks said that criminal proceedings had been opened for damage to property and hooliganism but there were no reports of significant damage to property or the Freedom Monument Ruks also pointed out that the State Police had been preparing for the football events in Rīga including consultations with their Dutch counterparts but we concluded that the fans were used to their own expressions and this was incompatible with our perception so we are assessing how we can deal with these people who came here to celebrate the football event," said Ruck He said that the Ajax fans had violated "our usual order" but that no extreme limits had been crossed but we don't accept that expression," Ruks added He admitted that from the outside it might have looked like the police were too passive but "we did not want to cause massive negative expressions before the game preventing the football festival from taking place at all" "There is nothing easier than a special unit with batons to control the crowd but that is not the right approach," Ruks added "We don't want to go down in football history as a country where football fans are not allowed." Fans in other countries are used to a different attitude we need to find a balance if we want to have a sports event at the highest level here," Ruks said after a meeting with the Interior Ministry representatives and responsible services Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) said on social media that she had ordered services to deny access to the Freedom Monument for such events It is therefore expected that the monument will be cordoned off during games in the future "The safety of our people and public order is an absolute priority The Freedom Monument must be treated with due respect," stressed Siliņa She added that any damage to the Freedom Monument must be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted the Prime Minister and the Minister of the Interior consider the police's work to be adequate to avoid causing major disruptions "We have given the police all the resources and powers to ensure the order that our society demands While I can commend the overall organization of the game what happened at the Freedom Monument is a clear and very serious signal that we need to prepare for such events," the Prime Minister said 30, 35, 40 and 45 euros for three meals - these are the price categories for this year's Riga Restaurant Week which has been taking place in the capital since 2012 noted that the restaurant week is a good start to the season "The basic goal that [Restaurant Week] had in mind - I think it still is today - was so noble and so cool So we're still doing it and I think we're going to keep doing it like going to the theater or looking at a painting It's also gastronomic - something cool," said Zommers His business is open only four days a week He does not intend to change the opening hours during the restaurant week Offering the highest price bracket for a meal - €45 - Zommers is not afraid that this will put customers off It is clear that people want to come and see the big city - the capital - and see how it works to come back with some ideas or to get some strength so that we can get something in the province that is maybe even better than in Rīga," Zommers said The newest participant in Riga Restaurant Week is Tails which is in its fourth year and has already made it to the Michelin Guide Restaurant manager Līga Kairiša said that many locals do not know the company yet so they will try to promote it during Restaurant Week so Restaurant Week is a kind of springboard to attract new people but] we took the decision to open at 12:30 from this Wednesday to Friday the rest of the days we work as usual. People call Only five restaurants offer meals for the lowest price of €30 while most offer meals for €35 and €40 The same proportion of prices was also the case in previous years said the Riga Investment and Tourism Agency when restaurants sold more than 19,000 portions a week the Estonian company Tallink closed its long-standing Riga-Stockholm route ferry services from Riga were temporarily restored connecting to the Finnish capital Helsinki with the incidence of Covid on the rise again Even when the travel restrictions introduced during the pandemic were lifted Tourism researcher and head of the industry association Ēriks Lingebērziņš explained that in the pre-Covid-19 period but also for a large number of long-distance travellers After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine "Rīga was a kind of hub that brought together tourists from Latvia And then they all travelled successfully through Rīga I think that's what the Tallink business model was largely based on here Now we are in a different time and a different situation," Lingebērziņš said Ferry services from Riga would have already been restored if it was commercially viable which has discussed the situation with several industry players Former Transport Minister Kaspars Briškens said that it would most likely be a multi-million euro investment "Latvia as a country must be able to invest also in such routes that bring immediate returns the cash flow in a given year immediately becomes positive," Briškens said who last year expressed hope for the restoration of the ferry service now said that "Riga should definitely have such a connection" The officials interviewed said that talks about the potential restoration of ferry services from Riga have been held with various companies The company declined to be interviewed by LTV about its plans for Riga writing that "at the moment it has not been possible to resume the Riga route due to the overall economic situation which forces us to focus on the main routes in the Estonia-Finland-Sweden triangle" If the decision is in favor of investing in the renewal of ferry services the earliest the ships could start operating from Riga would be in the summer season of 2026 so each cub is important for biodiversity and conservation of the species following their mother Taiga's instructions are learning the skills needed to be a predator Rīga Zoo follows modern methods of caring for predatory cats allowing them to maintain and develop their natural instincts as much as possible The cubs are not handled or habituated to the presence of humans so that they can develop true predator and hunter instincts Mum is very careful - she guards the cubs closely so until now the tigers have spent their days indoors where visitors cannot see them These are the first cubs for both her and Augusts the tiger cubs will be able to go out on the playground but it will be up to mother Taiga and the cubs themselves whether visitors will be able to see them The Amur tiger is the largest subspecies of tiger and one of the rarest big cats in the world they are found only in the forests of the Far East - mainly in Russia and China numbering fewer than 500 individuals in the wild To help maintain a healthy captive population Rīga Zoo participates in the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria's captive breeding programme for Amur tigers Amur tigers have been resident at Riga Zoo for a long time and there have been tiger cubs in the past The last tiger cubs were born here in 2014 Continuing the tradition of inviting the most talented Latvian artists to design the Rimi Riga Marathon T-shirts and medals this year’s official Rimi Riga Marathon Nike running T-shirts will feature artwork by Helēna Heinrihsone – flowers when the official T-shirt art and design was created by Elita Patmalniece Helēna Heinrihsone’s artwork will be the 18th to feature the most popular running event in the Baltics and become part of our art collection designed the official Rimi Riga Marathon T-shirt which was launched on March 25 at Spice Sportland Helēna Heinrihsone early has created her way of expression and consistently develop it by looking for different and nontraditional artistic ways in her generation and in all Latvian painting Helēna Heinrihsone artwork’s character is simple and expressive composition With the painting deformation in some times the grotesque in the image system is intensified Those the artist has featured on the T-shirt in movement When I started thinking about the marathon as a non-runner I imagined the Rimi Riga Marathon as Riga’s spring That’s when I realized that everything has to be in motion The T-shirt will move on the person wearing it T-shirts will be available for purchase at Sportland in the Spice shopping center All Rimi Riga Marathon participants who ordered a T-shirt during registration (until December 2024) will also receive one Helēna Heinrihsone will additionally design a special T-shirt for the Rimi Riga Marathon’s 35th anniversary, which can be purchased when registering for the event The anniversary T-shirt design will be revealed in early April The "Staro Rīga" light festival returns to give everyone the opportunity to celebrate Latvia's birthday in a unique illuminated atmosphere This will be the thirteenth time that the "Staro Rīga" light festival will take place during four days from 15 to 18 November every evening from 17:00 to 23:00 This year's festival theme is "A Time of Light" highlighting the role of light as a unifying and hopeful force in society "Recent years have brought many challenges for the world The festival organisers have chosen a theme that invites visitors to reflect on and celebrate the values of unity brightness and a positive outlook on the future which is the main means of expression in the artists' palettes also becomes a symbol that unites everyone in hope and positivity," says Diāna Čivle The last time the festival took place was in 2019 Its return is particularly welcome as it is one of the capital's best-loved and best-attended cultural events The festival continues the tradition of combining the power of light and art with technological solutions to provide an unforgettable experience for residents of Riga visitors from other Latvian cities and tourists from abroad This year not only marks the return of the festival but also an opportunity to experience this wonderful symbiosis of light and art together after a long pause Visitors of the festival will be able to enjoy more than twenty light installations and objects each with its own unique message and aesthetic the geography of the festival is expanding with a new route that will take visitors outside the Old Town and the central part of Riga The festival's light path will lead to the left bank of the Daugava River expanding the festival map and providing a new perspective on the urban environment and places in the city that have never been used before to host light objects or events A special place is reserved for emerging and young light artists to give them the opportunity to showcase their new light creations and creative experiments the Ferris Wheel will operate without days off this week the Ferris wheel will operate from 1:00 p.m and on April 26 and 27 – from 11:00 a.m The Riga Ferris Wheel was designed and built in Latvia a part of the historic Uzvaras Park was also renovated: the green area was improved lighting and benches were installed and paths were laid.  The Ferris Wheel can accommodate 240 passengers at a time – eight per cabin the ticket price has proven to be controversial with opinions being expressed that it is too high compared to similar projects in other European countries One ride on the Ferris wheel lasts from 15 to 18 minutes for children from 3 to 12 years old it costs 13 euros and for students with an "ISIC" card and pensioners 15 euros Tickets can be purchased at the ticket offices at the foot of the wheel.  For comparison, a ride on the Budapest Ferris Wheel costs around 12 euros for a standard adult ticket, while the famous Vienna wheel costs 14.50 The Skypark wheel in Tallinn which is neary twice as tall as the Rīga wheel costs just 10 euros for a standard ticket.  will return to Riga from the prestigious “Oscar” award ceremony in the United States a formal welcome will be held at the Freedom Monument We are truly proud and honour the excellent Gints Zilbalodis and his team – Latvian cultural Ambassadors – for their outstanding and historic success Special joy at the Oscars award of the US Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences which records Latvia in the history of the global film industry We invite residents and guests of the capital to greet the team of the animated film “Flow” with their high achievement together at the Freedom Monument Members of the media have also been invited to the festive event at the Freedom Monument! To apply, please, by Wednesday at 14.00, send to the e-mail address sindija.gravere@riga.lv the name of the journalist and the name of the media represented Riga Airport invites you to apply for the "Flow” team welcome - photo and video opportunity at the airplane ladder and then brief first interviews at the airport's VIP center before departing to the center of Riga To apply, please, by Wednesday, March 5 at 12.00, to send to the e-mail address ilze.salna@riga-airport.com the name of the journalist the name and position of the media represented as well as phone number and e-mail for communication We would like to remind you that you will only be able to access the waiting area by applying in advance and receiving an airport pass We reserve the right not to process applications that we will be received after that deadline Arrival at the airport for members of the media - until 21.15 will also have to be presented together with a pass issued by the airport during the security check The director's Gints Zilbalodis animated film “Flow” is the first Latvian film work ever nominated for the U.S Academy Awards and won “Oscar” in the category “best full-length animated film” The Oscar awards ceremony was a grand final for the world film industry's “Awards season,” in which Latvian film "Flow” has received more than 70 international awards so far on almost every continent The most significant of these are the European Academy award for best full-length animation film of the year the two Annie Awards awarded by the International Association of Animation in Hollywood the French national film award Caesar and others Latvian film "Flow” is currently being shown or planned to be shown in cinemas in 45 countries more than 330,000 cinema viewers have already visited it in Latvia Lita Kokale, Head of Public Relations Division of the Ministry of Culture, Lita.Kokale@km.gov.lv Kristīne Matīsa, Film Industry Information Specialist at the National Film Centre , kristine.matisa@nkc.gov.lv Ilze Salna, RIX Riga Airport Communication Project Manager, ilze.salna@riga-airport.com Information was prepared by: Sindija Grāvere, Acting Head of the External Communications Department of Riga City Council Communication Administration, email: sindija.gravere@riga.lv the waiting list for housing provided by the Riga Municipality has been reduced by half - while in 2020 there were 3186 persons (families) on the waiting list at the beginning of 2025 only 1656 persons (families) were registered on the waiting list the housing owned by the Riga Municipality consists of about 11 000 flats around 1 700 are social flats and the rest are city council rented flats “Riga City Council is continuously expanding the provision of housing support services especially for the socially and economically disadvantaged more than 11 000 people in Riga benefit from housing support programmes we plan to start implementing the most significant investments in recent years to improve the quantity and quality of municipal housing services The projects involve the renovation and modernisation of 196 unrented flats owned by the municipality as well as the renovation of three buildings providing accommodation for at least 155 households thus reducing the waiting list for flats by a further 20%” 307 municipal or social flats were rented out Riga Municipality plans to significantly expand access to housing for vulnerable groups by building new social flats and renovating existing ones The Housing and Environment Department of Riga City Council has signed contracts with the Central Financial Contracts Agency for the implementation of two projects to receive more than EUR 10 million in funding from the European Union for the construction of 351 flats The housing renewal programme is planned to start in spring with 196 unrented flats owned by the municipality to be renovated by the end of 2027 the renovation of three residential buildings - 1 k-10 Lielupes Street 1 Dolomīta Street and 25A Prūšu Street - is planned to start in the summer The project is planned to be implemented by the end of 2027 and as a result 155 households will receive municipal housing assistance In total these projects will cost EUR 24 million to rebuild and renovate houses and flats of which EUR 6 million will be spent this year it is also planned to introduce a special rental programme to attract young teaching professionals to the capital The necessary provisions will soon be put out to public discussion and could be adopted this summer allowing teachers to cover part of their rent or dormitory accommodation in the coming school year State Real Estate and other municipalities work has been started on a public-private partnership project to build 1 000 rental flats for professionals and their families who are employed in professions essential to the performance of municipal functions Information was prepared by: Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Project Coordinator at External Communication Division of Riga City Council Communication Department, email: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv There was a conceptual agreement on a priority railway line from Lithuania to the Estonian border and the completion of construction work at international stations The Transport Ministry has prepared an information report "On the "Rail Baltica" project implementation scenario in the territory of Latvia" where priority is given to the first stage of the project which instead of a double track envisages the construction of a single track from the Lithuanian border to Estonia as well as the establishment of a European standard gauge rail connection to one of the two Riga international stations - Rīga Central Railway Station or Rīga Airport while before the completion of the first stage of the project it is planned to connect the two Riga international stations within the existing railway infrastructure Prime Minister Evika Siliņa (New Unity) was determined to agree on "at least something" at Tuesday's cabinet meeting so as not to leave the room "empty-handed" she even asked ministers to put their mobile phones in a box so that they could concentrate better on their work the information report prepared by the Transport Ministry was never fully examined the detailed scenarios first need to be clarified - where construction work should start as a priority and potential spending on activities not yet planned in Latvia should be stopped the government gave conceptual approval to the idea of building the main line of Rail Baltica from the Lithuanian border to the Estonian border on a European track gauge of 1435 millimeters (mm) as a priority (Lithuania/Latvia border-Misa-Upeslejas-Vangaži-Latvia/Estonia border) starting construction work on the Lithuania border-Misa section and continuing it sequentially according to the available funding The Government also reached a conceptual agreement that the ongoing construction works at the Riga International Stations - Rīga Central Station South and Rīga Airport - would be completed to the minimum extent necessary to allow both passenger stations to be used for the existing 1520 mm passenger trains Conceptual support has also been given to the Rīga Airport Station-Imanta connection so that both international passenger stations can start using the existing 1520 mm passenger trains This would mean that Rail Baltica high-speed trains would not arrive in the capital in the coming years passengers would be able to travel from Rīga's international stations to the Rail Baltica line on the existing trains The first phase of the Rail Baltica project described in the report envisages: The Baltic joint venture RB Rail estimates that the Riga Upeslejas - Riga Central Station section would require €629 million while the Misa - Riga Airport section would need €924 million The total cost of implementing the first phase of the cross-border link from the Estonian border to the Lithuanian border using only the freight bypass via Salaspils The total cost of the two international passenger stations and associated track infrastructure is €875 million while €133 million is needed for the construction of point facilities including infrastructure maintenance points in Iecava and Skulte a traffic control center for the Salaspils freight terminal The public ice-skating rink in Esplanade is officially opened Riga residents and visitors will be able to enjoy the winter activities until 1 March "The Riga Christmas Market is already recognised as one of the most beautiful and interesting in Europe Now it's time for Riga's ice-skating rink to win over visitors and to be recognised alongside ice-skating rinks in other European cities such as Amsterdam This year Riga is renewing the tradition and once again creating a city ice-skating rink where everyone can skate - here's to lots of visitors sharp skates and safe skating!" says Vilnis Ķirsis The opening ceremony was attended by Vilnis Ķirsis Culture and Sports Committee of Riga City Council Riga Hockey School students and coach Oļegs Sorokins inaugurated the ice-skating rink by skating the first lap The ice-skating rink will be open until 1 March on the Esplanade in front of the J It is planned that the ice-skating rink in Esplanade will be open for the next three seasons (2024/2025 Meteorological conditions will be a major factor influencing the operating mode of the ice-skating rink The ice-skating rink is free of charge for those with personal equipment but skates and ancillary equipment can be rented for a fee The rental cost per pair of skates is EUR 2.49 per hour for adults and EUR 2.00 for children Skates for public skating can be rented at the ice-skating rink The ice-skating rink also has heated changing rooms and toilets The ice-skating rink will be open every weekday from 11:00 to 22:00 and on weekends from 09:00 to 22:00 Please note that the ice-skating rink will be serviced from 13:00 to 14:00 from 16:00 to 17:00 and from 19:00 to 20:00 During this time the ice-skating rink will be closed to the public The ice-skating rink area will be decorated with decorations the ice-skating rink will be even more colourfully decorated to create a more festive mood Information was prepared by: Sindija Grāvere, Project Coordinator, External Communications Department of Riga City Council Communication Administration, email: sindija.gravere@riga.lv Kobe will be attended by a delegation of the Riga City Council and businessmen in early November in honour of the fiftieth anniversary of the friendship between Riga and Japan During the visit several important meetings it will be an important step in the long-term co-operation of the two cities in economy as well as promote the visibility of Riga in Japan The delegation of the Latvian capital will be led by the Chairman of Riga City Council Vilnis Ķirsis joined by the Deputy Chairman of the Riga City Council Linda Ozola the Ambassador of Latvia to Japan Zigmārs Zilgalvis the architect of the Riga City Pēteris Ratas as well as representatives of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia and Latvian businessmen from SIA “Fortes” SIA “Barboleta” and SIA “Pharmeko Lettland” which has been going on for half a century we celebrated the friendship of cities in Riga by hosting delegation from Kobe which we will use both for exchanging experience on organising the education process and for establishing contacts between entrepreneurs,” says V.Ķirsis the Riga City Council representatives will meet with Kobe Mayor Hisamoto to discuss cooperation in development and innovation A session on the ecosystems of start-ups and innovations is planned where representatives of both cities will share their experiences and ideas on business support as well as meetings of experts in the fields of education officials will jointly unveil a special sound-photo exhibition that will highlight the cultural heritage of the cities of Riga and Kobe The exhibition will be opened with a musical performance by the choir's “Balsis” representative Ints Teterovskis and Emīlija Rūta Ozoliņa the Latvian-Japanese Business Forum will take place where individual meetings and presentations are planned together with the JETRO organization which is working to promote the export capacity of Japanese companies in international markets promoting attraction of foreign investments and promoting export potential of large and small enterprises in order to develop cooperation between entrepreneurs of both countries and expand investment opportunities Representatives of the Riga City Council will see an exhibition dedicated to the twinning of the two cities as well as visit Zuze and give her a special gift the State Agency for Research and Development will be visited as well as Riga representatives will become acquainted with the experience of reconstruction of the Sannomiya Centre and urban planning The twinning between the two cities began on 18 June 1974 The mutual friendship between the two towns reminds the residents of Kobe garden in Agenskalns neighborhood which is modeled according to Japanese-style gardens more than 100 sakuras in Uzvaras Park and on Kr which shows the time of Riga and Kobe in two dials the Riga National Zoo has also developed a close cooperation with Kobe Zoo Almost everyone in Kobe knows that everyone's favourite elephant Zuze came to their town from Riga years ago Kobe's representatives acknowledge that Zuze has been one element of joy at a time when the city was hit by an ambitious earthquake The cooperation between Riga and Kobe zoos is planned to continue in the future In honour of the fiftieth anniversary of the the friendship between Riga and Japanese city Kobe Riga was visited by the Japanese delegation this summer opening a special exhibition “Riga – Kobe 50” as well as the establishment of sakura great plants in Uzvaras Park Information was prepared by: Mārtiņš Vilemsons, Project Coordinator at External Communication Division of Riga City Council, email: martins.vilemsons@riga.lv The journey will take around 10.5 hours in total and tickets for each leg must be bought separately from each carrier: Vilnius-Riga from LTG Link The management of all three carriers - Vivi Elron and LTG Link - will ride the train on Monday to assess the benefits of the route Note that this is not a single journey as of now; it is rather three train trips the timetables of which have been adjusted so you can take all three in succession the connection will be implemented with rolling stock from all three carriers and will have two transfers - one in Riga and the other in Valga with a connection time of 12-19 minutes.  LTG Link's daily diesel train service from Vilnius to Tallinn has been adapted to the Vivi diesel train service Riga (11:16) - Valga (13:51) which is coordinated with the Elron diesel train service Valga (14:10) - Tallinn (17:34) Elron's daily diesel train Tallinn (10:25) - Valga (13:54) has been adapted for Vivi's diesel train Valga (14:11) - Riga (16:37) which is coordinated with LTG Link's diesel train Riga (16:55) - Vilnius (21:03) The total journey time from Tallinn to Vilnius is currently around 10.5 hours after the completion of the railway infrastructure repairs in Estonia the journey time is expected to decrease by about one hour The Vilnius-Riga-Tallinn train service includes the following stops: Joniškis in Lithuania;  Jelgava you will have to buy your train ticket separately from each carrier A case of measles has been laboratory-confirmed in Latvia the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDPC) is calling on passengers from the April 16 Moscow–Riga bus to come forward Epidemiologists have launched an investigation to identify the circumstances of the infection and organize necessary measures to prevent further spread of the disease The individual with measles arrived in Riga on April 17 at 12:45 PM on an international “Ecolines” bus that departed Moscow on April 16 at 5:15 PM The CDPC has requested passenger information from the bus operator but has not yet received it The CDPC urges all passengers on that trip, as well as crew members, to urgently contact CDPC epidemiologists by calling +371 67271738 or emailing dezurants.riga@spkc.gov.lv told LETA that he was not informed about the measles case or the ongoing CDPC investigation Measles is a highly contagious acute viral infection spread through airborne droplets or direct contact Anyone who is not immune — either not vaccinated or never previously infected — and who comes into contact with a measles patient or spends time in the same room (within two hours of the infected person’s presence) is at risk of becoming ill measles can be a very serious illness and may lead to severe complications Symptoms typically include high fever (exceeding 40°C) Due to insufficient vaccination coverage in some countries increases in measles cases and outbreaks continue to be reported new cases have been reported in nine EU countries: Austria Measles outbreaks are often linked to infected travelers returning from abroad so does the risk of cross-border transmission "The contract signed by Eiropas Dzelzceļa līnijas in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport and the construction company Bererix for the construction of the southern part of Riga Central Station foresees that the essential works will be completed by 31 August 2026 railway platform works and the most important engineering networks and systems works The landscaping and finishing of the ground floor passenger areas shall be completed by 31 December 2026 The next work to be completed by 31 March 2027 under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) is the safety testing landscaping and temporary commissioning of six 1520mm (existing width) railway tracks connected to the station building together with CEF and Latvian state funding will allow the construction of the southern part of the station building to be completed the adjacent area to be landscaped and the passenger platforms to be improved to the extent that the building can be used for safe passenger services as early as summer 2027 The Recovery Fund will cover €104.5 million of the work which is around 75% of the full cost of the southern part project studija" (Studio 4) looked at what happens when students and others forget to register a trip and why it is the case that other passengers are not allowed to pay on their behalf shared an unpleasant recent experience on public transport in Riga "There was a situation where my daughter had gone to the cinema with her friends and she came home crying after the film I realised that her evening had been ruined," the girl's father begins She had boarded a tram to go to the centre had been looking for free seats with her friends "And at that moment the controllers are there right next to my daughter and tell her to show her ticket then why are you standing here?'" Priedītis recounts the conversation While the daughter talked to the controller the other young people validated their e-tickets "The controller demanded that my daughter pay a fine for an invalid ticket - three euros she says that she does not have that amount on her card maybe you'll let her call her mother so she can quickly transfer the money and pay and the inspector said – "You don't have to pay she has to pay!" Priedītis recounts of the reported conversation Couldn't the girl really be allowed to validate a trip that had already been paid for by the municipality anyway the municipality has granted free travel to students pensioners and many other passenger groups but in order for this discount to take effect the trip must be registered," says Baiba Bartaševiča-Feldmane Head of Public Relations at SIA "Rīgas satiksme" (Rīga Transport) the money has not been paid and in fact the passenger is traveling without a ticket second grade, primary school students and the primary controllers remind them: "We invite you to register your trip" No one takes them out and fines them. We tolerantly remind them that next time they have to register then they have to register this trip every time then the controller can impose a fine," says the official Children under the age of 14 are also not allowed to be put off public transport But why wasn't the classmate allowed to pay the girl's 3 euro fine so that she wouldn't have to pay the 5 euro fine later but the fact that the controller was absolutely not interested in the situation how could a compromise be reached and let her pay and she would probably remember for the rest of her life that when getting on a tram you have to immediately validate your e-ticket But the controller's attitude suggests that she has been given the task by "Rīgas satiksme" to collect as much money as possible from ticketless people," says Priedītis Bartaševiča-Feldmane points out: in this case the situation was such that the girl had neither cash nor money on her card the person who offered to register this trip had already registered this trip in such situations we receive complaints that "Wait - I registered a trip and then the controller ordered me to pay a fine." Then there could be a claim to return the fine because it was imposed illegally, says Bartaševiča-Feldmane Does this mean that the fine cannot be paid on someone else's behalf when another person offered to pay by card Because unfortunately in this situation a penalty can arise and be contested But we discussed this with lawyers and will review it looking for options," adds the representative of "Rīgas satiksme"