NEPLP blocks Russian online stores — Liepāja merchants offer patriotic alternative
While the state fights Russian propaganda sites, local entrepreneurs are already preparing their e-commerce platform with real Baltic wind.
NEPLP has finally decided to block Russian e-commerce giant Ozon.ru and a whole list of propaganda sites that spread "patriotic literature" about the war in Ukraine. In Riga, of course, this decision was met with great drama, but in Liepāja we just laughed — who would want to order goods from a country where winter lasts eight months, when you can get everything you need from us, where the beach and Baltic Sea are windy and cold even in summer, but at least it's OUR cold sea.
Along with Ozon.ru, such gems as booksite.ru, znanierussia.ru and even kp.ru subdomains were also blocked. NEPLP justified the decision by saying these sites contained "one-sided and biased information." Well, if they had seen Liepāja market discussions about whether Grobiņa carrots are better than Aizpute carrots, they would understand what real biased information is.
Local entrepreneur Valdis Kauliņš from Karosta has already announced plans to create his own e-commerce platform "Liepaja.lv," which will only have truly patriotic goods: Liepāja weather vanes, amber necklaces and books on how to survive in northwestern wind. "We don't need any Ozon — we have Liepāja market, where you can buy everything from fish to used tram ticket booklets," says Valdis.
Interestingly, NEPLP has instructed internet service providers to redirect users to the site nelegalssaturs.lv. Liepāja is already proposing to create its own version — legalssaturs.liepaja.lv, which will only have news about the tram schedule, Liepāja theater repertoire and the latest news from the port. Because what could be more legal than information that tomorrow will be windy again?
⚠️ Satirical article. Facts are preserved, but the presentation is humorous. For accurate information, please refer to the original source.