Riga, the capital of Latvia -- an independent Socialist Republic within the U.S.S.R. -- celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the country's liberation from German occupation on Monday and Tuesday (21 and 22 October).

War veterans of the liberation campaign gathered in the city's Komsomolskaya Square ... where thirty years ago the buildings lay in ruins. Together with townspeople the veterans paraded through the streets of the capital to the Lenin Monument, where they laid wreaths at the Eternal Flame of the Common Grave.

Today, Riga is not only one of the most beautiful cities of the Baltic region, it is also an expanding industrial and scientific centre.

The city houses many museums and architectural monuments, including the famous thirteenth century Dom Cathedral, as well as research centres, colleges and Latvia's Academy of Sciences.

The expansion of the urban centre reflects the way in which agriculture has slipped behind as the major industry of the Latvian region.

Riga is Latvia's scientific and industrial centre. It's the home of the republic's academy of sciences, 12 scientific research centres, dozens of colleges and a university. The leading industries are metal-working and electric-engineering - Goods manufactured by 70 of the city's enterprises are exported to 90 countries.

SYNOPSIS: Last week, the city celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of its libera??? from German occupation during the Second World War. Campaign veterans marched through the streets of the capital, which thirty years ago sho??? all the signs of a city ravaged by ???. Children born since Latvia became a part of the Soviet Union followed the veterans in the celebration parades.

In honour of the occasion, the veterans visited the city's Lenin Monument, where they laid wreaths in memory of the War dead. An estimated one hundred and fifty thousand lost their lives in the campaign to liberate the Baltic area.

Since the war, Riga has become one of the most important cities of the Baltic region. Already a major port, it's now the industrial and scientific centre of Latvia.

The anniversary celebrations also included a flower-laying ceremony at the Eternal Flame of the Common Grave. The veterans had come from all parts of the Soviet Union to take part in the two-day anniversary festival.