Notice to the security police: I admit that yesterday I withdrew money from my bank. Please don’t arrest me. I did it to buy milk and bread, and not to destabilize Latvia’s financial system
Archive for the ‘Latvia in the EU’ Category
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Sticking to the message
2008
12.05
12.05
Cynical nature
2008
05.06
05.06
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?
Corrupt Government?
2004
09.03
09.03
In an interview to the Russian-language daily Вести Сегодня (Vesti Segodnya) Latvia’s Deputy Prime Minister Ainars Šlesers says he thinks it is possible that George Soros wants to create its own party to seek power control in Latvia. After the country’s ascension to the European Union and taking into consideration its economy and geographic location, Latvia is becoming more attractive for foreign businesses, Šlesers said. Šlesers did not exclude Soros wish to influence the politics on the level of the European Union as well.
“You don’t have to tell me that Mr. Soros is merely a businessman,” Šlesers told the newspaper. “As practice tells us, he influences political processes all over the world.” Šlesers’ Latvian First Party (LPP) remained in the ruling coalition after the collapse of the previous government led by Einars Repse. Yet, the ruling coalition is thought to be involved in corruption.
The scandal erupted after Latvia’s Prime Minister Indulis Emsis’ abrupt decision to remove from the post of European Commissioner Sandra Kalniete, an internationally respected diplomat, appointed by Repse. In her place, Emsis, from the Green and Farmer’s Union (ZZS), selected a self-proclaimed euro-skeptic and a relative novice in politics, Parliament Speaker, Ingrida Udre, who also belongs to ZZS.
Latvia’s chapter of Transparency International, Delna, voiced its opposition to Emsis’ decision through an unsanctioned protest in front of the parliament building in Riga on August 10. Delna opposed Udre’s nomination to the European Commission because it suspected Udre has been involved in corruption.
The procedure of nomination strengthens the impression of political corruption in Latvia, Delna explained its actions in the press release published on its site. Political corruption is one of the aspects of the Latvian politics most criticized in different researches and surveys.
Founded in 1998, Delna‘s aims to further the evolution of civil society, promoting transparency of information and the reduction of corruption.
Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau urged the state prosecutor’s office to start a criminal case against Udre’s bodyguard Zigmars Rubenis, who is suspected to be a middle man in taking and delivering a $4,000 bribe.
In August, Udre’s popularity rating fell from 12 to 22 points, according to the survey conducted by Latvijas Fakti on August 13 to 24.
Šlesers told the newspaper that Delna’s leader Roberts Putnis is in direct connection “with Soros and his people” and Putnis receives “direct orders on how to fight against the government.”
Latvia’s president, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, whose rating also fell in August, expressed confusion about the “illegal activities of the public organization.”
“I was surprised by the very emotional and heightened reaction that even lead to an unsanctioned protest. It is especially unacceptable that an organization acts illegally, though its goals are the promotion of democratic standards in the country, the president said. The president asserted that non-government organizations could express their opinion, but it does not mean that others have to listen.
On August 12, the incoming European Union Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso announced the list of his new Commissioners. Representing Latvia, Udre will be the Taxation and Customs Union Comissioner.
LPP along with ZZS form the ruling coalition, but due to the lack of majority in the 100-member parliament, they must heavily rely on the support of the pro-Russian leftist parties in the parliament.
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Fight Over Flag
2003
09.12
09.12
Baltic News Service reports that Latvia’s eurosceptics and euro-optimists has a little rumble near the highest point in Latvia on Friday. The movement “Independence Outside the European Union” known as Ne ES, or No to EU! fought with European Movement in Latvia (EKL).
The reason: whether or not to wave the EU flag on the tower located on the highest point in Latvia.
The winner: EKL.
When I re-told this incident to my friend from Denmark, she exclaimed, “Why couldn’t they just talk?”