After basking in the VIP area together with people of question | Grossmeister

After basking in the VIP area together with people of questionable reputation during the opening game of the World Ice Hockey Championship in Riga, Latvia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Edgars Rinkēvičs demonstrated an act of true diplomatic short-sightedness that has effectively shut down Latvia’s diplomatic relations with Belarus and has caused considerable damage to Latvia’s economy.

Watching the hockey game from the VIP area together with scandalous businessman Māris Martinsons, who is both a suspect and the accused in multiple criminal cases, cast a shadow over the minister’s reputation. Rinkēvičs claimed he was in the VIP area of Arēnas Rīga following a representation order from the Cabinet of Ministers. However, there was no announcement from the government on delegating any official representatives for any games of the championship. The minister’s behaviour caused a wave of backlash from residents. Latvians had no time to recover before Rinkēvičs took another highly questionable action – replacement of the official flag of the Republic of Belarus in the centre of Riga during the World Ice Hockey Championship.