28/07/2006 (Agence Europe) - European Greens are furious over the violence towards homosexuals who took part in a religious service, celebrated by a gay priest, in Riga last Sunday, and the harassment of visitors to the former concentration camp of Salaspil to commemorate the homosexual victims of the Nazi regime. In a press release, Ulrike Lunaceck, European Green Party spokeswoman, says that by refusing to protect these people, the Latvian interior minister “has clearly violated EU principles”. The Greens urge that the EU considers, for example, the suspension of the Latvian interior minister's voting rights at the EU Council meetings on which he sits, until such time as he makes it clear that, in the future, events organised by gay and lesbian groups will be protected. At a meeting which took place in a hotel in Riga to replace the Pride Parade, which could not be held, MEP Raul Romeva stressed the importance of Community treaties to protect minorities.