How many days are left for the PM in the office? Because of the continuous agony of the existing coalition nobody knows the answer, unfortunately. So, while PM and MP's blame everyone around them for causing the instability, they do not see the main cause for dissatisfaction among broad smathes of society. Yesterday morning there were 200 protesters in the morning, and at the end of the day when budget was passed in its first reading with 55 AYE's there were already 2000 people protesting (many trade union representatives)according to LETA news agency. Transparency International sister organization Delna announced that they will stop demonstrating in front of Saeima and would concentrate their activities for the mass rally on November 3'd.
Yesterday the Anti Coruption Agency (KNAB) published the final report about Latvian 2006 parliamentary election campaign financing in Diena. Those of you willing to read exact numbers could reach it at http://www.vdiena.lv/lat/politics/printed/tp_valstij_vareetu_naakties_atdot_pat_virs_miljona_latu_lpp_lc_ap_ls_600_000 . In nutshell the report clearly states that leading coalition members, Peoples's (TP) and First Christian (LPP) parties have exceeded the legally allowed threshold ( Ls 279 631,20) by Ls 529 980,54 (189,53%) and Ls 401 610,26 (143,64%) respectively. IN ADDITION both parties received illegal donations (Tautas partija Ls 555 430 & LPP/LC Ls 18 055,97 ). Both parties (TP leader Kalvītis among them) already announced that they will try to overrule the decision of the KNAB in court. In yesterday's TV interview TP leader announced that the final decision of the Senate of the Supreme Court in Latvia as of November 3 is not binding to him, and that they would overrule it (Uhhhh Mr Kalvitis, you should better read that the final resolution of the senate reads NAV PĀRSŪDZAMS (it CANNOT BE OVERRULED!!!). The senate of the Supreme Court in its last years decision clearly stated that the third party advertisements helped TP and LPP to be elected. The full text of the decision of the Supreme Court you may find at (http://www.politika.lv/index.php?id=12558 ).
Allright, here I must stop now, because my students want me to be prepared for lectures as well and during last couple of weeks I feel, that this ongoing agony of governing coalition takes considerable amount of my precious time. In the meantime I am happy that my information helped more people to open eyes to what is really going on in Latvia (many thanks to those encouraging messages and e-mails!). Shall try to be as effective as possible and if you do not hear from me, then knoweth that I am busy while preparing students - future agents of change:)
2 comments:
By the time of your post I can see that you posted it before yesterday's Kas notiek Latvija, which was another excellent example of cynicism of the leading party in the person of PM Kalvitis. He knows well that attack is the best defense, and, just like his fellow coalition members (think about the guy whom Karlis Streips nicely calls the rocket bulldozer or smhth like that), he has perfectly been coached for talking to the media. If a question cannot be answered, the easiest thing to do is to say that the journalist 'does not know' or has not seen the material in question; or if he has, he 'does not understand it'.
Why am I saying all this here? You ask a question in the beginning of your post about the days left for this government, and also note yesterday's KNAB press conference. My tiny hope for somebody's ethics and morale to wake up died yesterday between 21:20 and 22:30. So, I am afraid that this government will last until the very last moment, and somebody will need to drag them out of the building.
Sorry for being so lengthy here. Have a good evening!
to the former student:
First of all, did I teach you to be anonymous in a public space. Aye, aye know those shy Baltic folks:)
I guess that days of incumbent PM are counted and nobody is really intereted in him. Probabl he could follow also into shoues of Gerhard Schroeder.
More important issue now is about the question - what happens after new government is formed. Would they be able to reign in the economy, leave the governor of the bank position intact and offer strategy for the long term development without simply bulying trade unions??? Human resources are limited, and what do we have in Latvia to offer??
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