Youth Organization to Hold Support Rally for NGOs at Freedom Monument
On July 29 at 6 PM, the youth organization “Protests” will hold a support rally for NGOs at the Freedom Monument in Riga, urging participants to dress in black.
The youth organization “Protests” will hold a support action for non-governmental organizations (NGOs) on July 29 at 6 PM at the Freedom Monument in Riga. The organization calls on participants to come dressed in black.
“Protests” states that NGOs fill “policy gaps” that the state alone cannot cover, reaching people in regions, helping in crises, offering solutions, and working in various fields. The organization believes civil society plays a crucial role in expressing opinions and criticism, and in limiting government and business power. It emphasizes that NGOs helped Latvia host Ukrainian war refugees and strengthen societal resilience.
As an example, the organization cites the public initiative platform “ManaBalss.lv,” which allows people to engage in democracy between elections. “Protests” criticizes the uncertainty surrounding the review of NGO funding, arguing that state support for NGOs is an investment, not a waste of money. It warns that weakening NGOs threatens human rights.
The organization also targets initiatives by the National Alliance (NA) and dehumanizing statements about migrants, as well as restrictions on academic freedom, which it sees as threatening civil society and already vulnerable groups.
The rally comes as the State Chancellery must prepare an analysis of NGO funding by Wednesday, as requested by Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs (AS). Kulbergs also highlighted the compensation paid to members of the Memorandum Council, such as 122 euros per meeting for the deputy chair. Deputy Chair Georgs Rubenis told LETA that this compensation is not for “just sitting,” but for actual work, noting communication misunderstandings between the government and active citizens.
Furthermore, NA politicians have called for expanding the audit of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund, and Culture Minister Nauris Puntulis has suspended the financial operations of the association “Latvian Women's NGO Cooperation Network” in a project. An interim audit report also criticized the Culture Ministry's oversight.
