MFA: 800 Latvians in Middle East waiting for rescue longer than Karosta bridge repair
While Riga diplomats lament 800 tourists stuck in the Middle East, Liepāja calmly points out that here people have been waiting years for the Karosta canal bridge to be fixed.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the evacuation of more than 800 Latvian citizens from the Middle East cannot be organized immediately, which in Liepāja has only elicited knowing nods. Local residents note they've been familiar with such situations for years.
"Look, the boys from Riga are complaining they can't evacuate 800 people in a few days," comments experienced Karosta resident Valdis Ozoliņš. "But we've been waiting here for three years for them to fix the Karosta canal bridge. It's the only bridge that divides our city in half and creates more drama than the entire Middle East crisis combined."
AirBaltic is planning a third repatriation flight from Dubai, while Liepāja's tram continues running without delays even in strong winds. "We don't have airspace problems," laughs local model airplane enthusiast Juris Kalniņš. "Our only problem is that sometimes birds don't understand why they need to fly around tram wires."
The MFA advises travelers not to go to airports without individual confirmation, but in Liepāja such advice isn't needed. "Our nearest airport is in Riga, and we don't go there anyway without good reason," concludes local travel agency owner Inta Liepiņa. "Better to stay home and enjoy our magnificent winter mornings by the sea."
⚠️ Satirical article. Facts are preserved, but the presentation is humorous. For accurate information, please refer to the original source.