“There used to be a New Wave holiday in Jurmala, the city was literally boiling from guests from Russia. Artists bought houses there, ”the ex-minister said.
According to him, now there is no holiday in Jurmala, and Russian artists are not allowed into Latvia.
He added that real estate prices in Latvia "have fallen very sharply," since "now it’s not easy to obtain a residence permit."
“Of course, there are still many tourists coming, there is a cultural exchange, but all this could be at a higher level,” said Yurkans.
In August, producer Igor Krutoy announced that "New Wave" will not return to Jurmala.
The competition has been held in Sochi in recent years.