All About Latvia

RIGA – One cannot blame people for being cynical. But one can certainly blame the political elite for its cynicism toward electorate.

During the wild and crazy decade of the 1990s, people turned politicians to make a decent living. Public servants cared little about people, but more about the size of their own wallets, their dachas, and SUVs. The gap between the average man’s income and a man inside the gorgeous parliament building was the size of the Grand Canyon.

That was then. Four years after Latvia joined the European Union – which was barely noticed by the media this year – government officials and members of the parliament are feeling the push to act the way the public wants them to act, in spite of all its cynicism.

First, there’s a move to allow voters to dissolve the parliament. Opponents cry it would create the anarchy in Latvia. Some MPs say that it would mean that 15 per cent of the voters could call in early elections.

In today’s Diena, a law student Ēriks Eglītis writes about his class’ meeting with one of such opponent. A Fatherlander, Mr. Dzintars Rasnačs displayed the top level cynicism in the ability of the Latvian public to think and act independently, especially when it comes to electing their leaders.

If these changes are implemented, Latvia would turn into a banana republic, the MP told the law school class.

“Because we have evil forces that can easily manipulate our country. At any moment, if they don’t like the parliament, they can dissolve it by bribing 15 per cent of voters. Not a single protest happens just because, they’re all purchased,” writes Eglītis about his impressions of the MP’s rhetoric.

It just shows you how far we’ve come in the last 18 years of independence. Everything and everyone can bought is generally the Russian, or even the Soviet way of thinking.

A former International Monetary Fund consultant put it this way:

“The government has to be strong. It has to be a leader and it shouldn’t be afraid to lead a discussion. But I have a suspicion that words “a strong state” in Latvia is still with the Soviet-era note.”

During a recent pro-Tibet demonstration outside the Chinese embassy in Rīga, a lone Russian passed by.

“How much did you get paid?” he asked as he quickly drove away.

No one would have thought much about what a single MP thinks, if it weren’t for others.

A former Fatherlander Juris Boldāns returned to parliament last month after spending six months in jail for election fraud during the last parliamentary elections two years ago.

Better yet, he had been receiving his pay while he was in jail. And furthermore, he was allowed to move into his own office in the parliament building.

A mayor of the seaport of Ventspils, Aivars Lembergs, accused in fraudulent activities remained the mayor while spending his time in jail and then under the house arrest in his mansion. He denies all the charges. And yes, he still remains the mayor of the city of Ventspils.

Cynicism of the public can be understood. Most people don’t want to bother with politics, yet it appears to be the job of the public servants to bother with people. No?

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 17.01 and is filed under Latvia in the EU, Parliament, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.