34 years have passed since the mandate of local governments for the restoration of independence / Article

8,086 deputies of all levels gathered in the “Daugava” stadium – from village councils to people’s deputies of the USSR. The meeting adopted an invitation to the Supreme Council and the nation to do everything possible to achieve the restoration of Latvia’s independence through democratic and non-violent methods.

“After the Supreme Council elections, it was a question about Latvia’s path to independence. The restoration of the country started from the local governments,” said Andris Jaunsleinis, a member of the meeting.

Municipal governments elected in democratic elections gave the Supreme Council a clear indication of what to do on behalf of their voters. If the Supreme Council were afraid and did not vote for the restoration of independence, it would lose the support of the people. In this sense, the vote of municipalities was decisive.

Meeting participant Māris Niklas admitted that even today, after 34 years, he still feels how important every vote was.

Perhaps the big meeting was the highest mission of Latvian municipalities in the entire history of Latvia’s existence, according to eyewitnesses of that time.

“We were different in 1990, we were more active, we had more guts. We don’t have everything we need when it comes to making history,” said historian Andrejs Ķeizars.

The day when the assembly of Latvian people’s deputies convened is also known as the day that opened the gates to Latvia’s independence.

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