Haddaway, Dr. Alban and LayZee Added to Latvia's Persona Non Grata List

Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that musicians Haddaway and Dr. Alban, along with LayZee of the group Mr. President, have been placed on the list of persons undesirable in Latvia. This means their planned appearance in Riga on 20 November this year cannot go ahead. The information was given to the portal Delfi by ministry press secretary Līga Jermacāne.

The artists were scheduled to appear in the 1990s Eurodance show "90's Disco Show: Haddaway, Dr. Alban, Mr. President, SNAP!". The venue, Xiaomi Arena, had already said earlier, after learning of the performers' links to Russia, that they could not perform there.

Decision taken in May

Jermacāne explained that the decision was made in May this year, taking into account broad public reaction and the opinions of competent institutions. The ministry stresses that, in the current geopolitical situation, event organisers must carefully assess the public statements and actions of the artists they plan to work with, paying particular attention to any possible support for Russia's aggression against Ukraine and for the Kremlin's policy.

The ministry says that entry into and activity in Latvia cannot be supported for artists who directly or indirectly express a hostile attitude toward Latvia, back Russia's aggression in Ukraine and the Kremlin's policy toward Ukraine, or undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity and sovereignty through their actions.

Organiser's explanation

The event organiser, the Lithuanian company Flixon Live Baltics MB (formerly Baltic Group LT MB), told Delfi, citing the artists' representatives, that the performers have not played in Russia since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022 and have not signed contracts with Russian concert organisers. The organiser says they perform in European Union countries and in America, draw full arenas, and none of them has been denied entry to EU states.