Simple Baltic differences (updated)

Today Estonian parliament (Riigikogu) unanimously voted for the motion barring henceforth members of the Riigikogu to combine their MP duties with the work in company boards. Thus, while scrupulously following Estonian constitution's § 63 the Estonian ombudsman Mr Allar Jõks argued that also MP's must abide to the constitutional principles. Also underlining basic principles of the constitutional § 4 and § 14 Mr Jõks reiterated that the division and balance of powers should be followed in Estonia. The Riigikogu vote is not final yet, because also in Estonia there are MP's who have nothing against additional income. Nevertheless, today's vote is a sign of maturation for the Estonian political culture, and only underlines an impression that quality of Estonia's political debates are "light years" ahead of her Southern neighbor.

While Estonian politicians argue about policy issues in the only "post-communist Nordic country", to use the expression of Giustino, Latvian politicians are playing party political games in their own post-Soviet league. Thus, they have left questions about the rule of law on backburner and you may read about it (and other issues as well) in Estonian in Maailma Vaade.

In the meantime Delfi announced that the heat is turned on, and some members of the National Security Council express their growing dissatisfaction with performance of the Latvian Intelligence Agency (look yesterday's blog entry). Interesting... .

UPDATED

It is Wednesday morning and Diena confirms my predictions - the heat is turned on Mr Kažociņš. PM in his morning interview to the Latvian Radio said that he would not like to see Latvian Intelligence Organization (SAB) giving interviews [referring to the anonymous interview in www.nra.lv]. Former president commented in Diena, and compares, that the threat to the sovereignty emanating from possible replacement of Jānis Kažociņš is as great as secretive changes in law of security organizations early last year.

P.S. Latvian Russian newspaper "Chas" discusses yesterday's revelations of the Seaima Head of Education and Culture Committee Mr Pēteris Tabūns (TB/LNNK), who "discovered" that all Latvian problems are created due to lack of positive news and blamed media for tarnishing good fame of MP's ("tas ir traģiski, ka tikko Saeimā ievēlēts deputāts jau pēc pirmās parlamentā pavadītās dienas tiek saukts par sliktu un korumpētu. Žurnālisti mēģina deputātus nospārdīt ar kājām}...whoops, he did it again:)

Diena reports a citation of the day, about the Member of the Union of Greens and Farmers Mr Pauls Putniņš during the Seaima Committtee investigating trasgressions of rule of law came out with a pearl reminiscent of the 1920-30, "media here has embedded hostility [angst] against this state, but the nation cannot go on without it"["mēdiji ir iedēstījuši naidu pret valsti, bet nācija bez valsts nevar pastāvēt"]...