Puntulis admitted that such a huge event cannot be organized without any mistakes at all.
"The first major task [after the festival] will be the analysis of errors. The second is to finally sort out the issue of the salaries of dance group leaders," the minister said.
At the same time, he emphasized that "we are absolutely ready for the Song and Dance Festival".
According to the minister, one of the reasons why excitement is particularly high is the fact that this is the 150th anniversary of the song festival movement, but another is that the Covid-19 pandemic period made it very difficult for choirs and dance groups to meet, creating a pent-up energy that will burst onto the stage over the coming week.
"Here is a festival that never ends, on the morning of July 10 we will be on our way to the next festival," said the minister, expressing his gratitude to everyone who helped preserve this folk tradition.
The XXVII General Latvian Song and XVII Dance Festival officially starts in Rīga on June 30, and will last until the closing conert on July 9. The festival takes place once every five years.