LSM columnist Aleksejs Zaričanskis: after the celebrations, time to discuss the price of independence
LSM's Russian-language portal has published an opinion piece by Aleksejs Zaričanskis reflecting on what independence means, 35 years on, for citizens and for the state, and on the price paid for it. The piece was published on 12 September 2026 in the outlet's opinion section.
The Russian-language news portal rus.lsm.lv has published a column by journalist Aleksejs Zaričanskis titled "The right to be oneself — on independence and beyond," appearing in the outlet's opinion section.
A call for quiet reflection
The author notes that the piece arrives after the parades marking the country's independence have ended, the official speeches have been delivered, and the celebratory fanfare has died down. He argues that this quieter moment is the right time to calmly consider what independence — now 35 years old — actually means, both for the individual and for the state itself.
The cost of independence
Alongside this reflection, the column also addresses the price that society and the state pay for maintaining that independence. The source excerpt does not specify further details, examples or arguments the author develops on this point; these are presented in the full text of the column.
The piece fits into a broader annual pattern in which commentators and journalists use the period following national celebrations to reassess the meaning and relevance of independence in current circumstances.
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