Mayor Lembergs to complain to NATO chiefs about Navy sailors' conduct in Ventspils

VENTSPILS, May 13 - Ventspils Mayor Aivars Lembergs (For Latvia and Ventspils) is planning a letter to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen to complain about the unacceptable conduct of NATO sailors in Ventspils last weekend that, he believes, discredits NATO in the eyes of the local populace, Lembergs told LETA.

During a visit to Ventspils by a number of NATO and European Union ships last weekend, twice as many persons were fined for disturbing the peace than during the last Ventspils Festival when the total number of guests of the city was 150 times higher.

"NATO sailors were acting like swine, ignoring the laws of Latvia and the regulations of Ventspils. They got drunk and urinated on window showcases, threw up, consumed alcoholic beverages in public places, which is prohibited," said Lembergs.

Reminded about a NATO sailor who was severely beaten up in Ventspils last weekend, Lembergs said that "it must have been locals, protecting women from the sailors."
Tomorrow, Lembergs will send a letter to Rasmussen, Latvian Defense Ministry and Foreign Ministry, noting that such conduct by foreign Navy personnel and damaging to NATO reputation.

This is not the first time Lembergs speaks disapprovingly of NATO presence in Latvia. For instance, he ironically said: "This would be in Ventspils' interest. We will have 1,000 NATO soldiers and the number of prostitutes will rise rapidly, to the benefit of cafes, restaurants and prostitutes."

As reported, navy sailors participating in the "Open Spirit 2014" international minesweeping exercise were involved in several incidents in Ventspils over the weekend; one from the Netherlands had particularly bad luck - he is currently in Northern Kurzeme Regional Hospital's intensive care unit with a serious head injury.

The man, 21, was taken to the hospital by ambulance early Sunday morning. He suffered a serious head injury, several fractures and cerebral edema, LETA learned from the hospital. The young man was unconscious and was placed in the hospital's intensive care unit, his condition is currently listed as stable, said the hospital's deputy chief Olafs Kengis.
leta.lv

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