Boulevard renamed to honor first Foreign Minister

Jul 22, 2008
In cooperation with BNS

RIGA- After rejecting the proposal for renaming Riga’s airport after Latvia’s first Foreign Minster, the city council has agreed to rename Basteja Boulevard to honor Zigfrids Anna Meierovics. 

President Valdis Zatlers had been a staunch proponent of renaming the street since its inception, calling it one of his priorities for the year.

Despite objection by the Riga City Council's Monument Protection Inspection, the Riga City Council's City Development Department and Riga mayor Janis Birks, 34 council members voted in favor of renaming the street.

Birks had earlier proposed to rename the airport to honor Meierovics, but the proposal was shot down by Transport Minister Slesers.

The street, Basteja Boulevard running along Riga’s old town, originally bore Meierovics' name from 1929 to 1941.


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