Einars Cilinskis ignores PM's warnings and will take part in events honouring Latvian soldiers who fought with Waffen SS

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Latvia's environment minister will be fired after he insisted on participating in the annual commemorations of Latvian soldiers who fought in Nazi units during the second world war, according to a government spokesman.

Einars Cilinskis, of the rightwing National Alliance, announced on Friday he would attend Sunday's events in Riga, ignoring warnings from the prime minister, Laimdota Straujuma.

Straujuma had called on cabinet ministers to stay away from the 16 March events, which are expected to prompt counter-protests from members of Latvia's Russian-speaking minority. The situation is particularly sensitive this year due to the crisis in Ukraine.

"She gave him time to reconsider his participation, but unfortunately he decided to participate," Blinds said.

Cilinskis explained his decision to attend the parade by saying that a "nation that does not respect its heroes has no future", the Baltic News Service reported.

Many Latvians consider the Waffen SS veterans as heroes who fought for independence against the Soviet Union, while Russians see the march as an attempt to glorify fascism and whitewash a dark chapter in Latvia's history.

About one-third of Latvia's 2 million residents are native Russian speakers.

The march will take place on the day that Crimea is set to hold a referendum on seceding from Ukraine. Russian forces took control of the semiautonomous Black Sea region last month, and President Vladimir Putin received parliamentary approval to use the military to protect Russian-speakers in Ukraine from violent nationalists, even though there have been no signs they are facing such a threat.