Latvian President May Turn To Jews, Muslims After Lutheran Snub
RIGA (AFP) - Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga Monday criticized the country's Lutheran archbishop for his refusal to lead a service to mark the country's independence day amid controversy over abortion rights legislation and high-level corruption.
"It's a very inappropriate and unacceptable move to reproach the state on its anniversary, when Latvia's statehood should be honored and Latvia's independence marked, [especially] to do it in front of foreign diplomats," Vike-Freiberga said in an interview on Latvian public radio.
In an unprecedented political statement by Latvia's main churches, Lutheran Archbishop Janis Vanags refused to lead Saturday the ecumenical service that traditionally begins the country's Independence Day celebrations.
"This year I feel deeply sad and ashamed today of our country and it would be extremely difficult for me to head the official service as if everything was in the best order," Vanags wrote to Vike-Freiberga in an open letter.
The archbishops of the Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Old Believer churches joined Vanags' protest.
Vike-Freiberga said she might replace next year's ceremony with a prayer service that would include the country's smaller religions, including Judaism, Islam and the Hare Krishnas.
She also warned if the churches did not support the state they could lose government support - a move religious leaders fear as legislation is currently under consideration in parliament which would tax church property.
In his letter, Vanags lambasted pending health care legislation that would codify and clarify abortion rights in Latvia, making them similar to laws throughout Europe.
Though the number of abortions in Latvia has dropped considerably since 1991, it is still a popular form of birth control, with 22,970 abortions compared to 19,328 births in 1999, according to government statistics.
Vanags also criticized the country's reluctance to investigate widespread allegations of sexual abuse of minors that rippled to the upper echelons of government.
