Valdis Kristovskis, the head of Civic Union Party at Riga city council, belives that “Avenue of Dzhokhar Dudaev” (Džohara Dudajeva gatve) shouldn’t rename.

In an interview with Radio Baltkom, Kristovskis said: “Dzhokhar Dudaev fought for independence of his nation. Chechen people were seriously in pain during Soviet Union term. After the situation in Baltic countries, Russia didn’t give away to freedom desire of Chechen peopla, so Russia’s struggle turn into blody and brutal invasion.  Renaming a street in Riga for the honour of Dudaev was a tribute to the memory of a small nation who fight for freedom rather than a step against Russia. In my opinion our Ministry of Foreign Affairs must publish their opinion in this issue…”

On the other hand, today, the party group of Civic Union (Pilsoniskā savienība, PS) at Riga city council, in cooperation with All For Latvia! (Visu Latvijai!, VL) party, began to collecting signatures for preservation of the “Avenue of Dzhokhar Dudaev”. According to groups, collecting of the signatures will be collected in the period from November 11 to November 30.

Let’s remember, Nils Ushakov, the mayor of Riga, and his party Harmony Center (Saskaņas centrs, SC) has already collected over 1000 signatures for renaming to “Avenue of D.Dudaev”. And Latvian right-wings political parties had declared that they will not let to renaming of it.