Monday, January 21, 2008

Diplomat extradited..... pollster (on the right)

The news just came in from the Foreign Ministry about Latvian government requesting Russian diplomat to leave the country in 48 hours. When TV3 announced that there is Russian spy residing in the Russian Embassy in Riga at the end of 2007, Minister of Foreign Affairs Māris Riekstiņš similarly to other Latvian officials publicly scolded journalists for looking just after cheap sensations. It seems that "cheap sensation" was neither cheap nor sensation, and an also outgoing Russian ambassador has learned his duties (bluffing) well. The metamorphosis of Latvian governing elite is not surprising after all, because since last parliamentary elections it was gradually giving in to the outright murky and corrupt deals. The present governing coalition has lost its credibility representing Latvia as a self sustained sovereign entity, and whilst following traditional appeasment policy is ready to serve anyone who pays enough money.

Luckily there is freedom of the press in this country, otherwise best traditions of the Soviet Latvian corporate culture could make Latvia already similar to neighboring Belarus.

In the meantime Latvian government managed to publish its blueprint for the first 100 days (until April 14, 2008). The language of the blueprint(http://www.vdiena.lv/lat/politics/doc/ivara_godmanja_vadiitaa_ministru_kabineta_neatliekamo_darbu_plaans) is rather dry, and it does not mention anything about preparating for the implementation of the Mandatory Property and Income Declaration system. Obviously, it is the parliament passing laws in this country, but if preparation for such law has not been even mentioned in the list of the most urgent tasks of the goverment, then it is possible to deduct from the government behaviour that the law establishing Mandatory Income Declaration would not be passed in Saeima prior April 14.

To have a better understanding about where does Latvia stand on this issue I would like to learn "temperature" of the public opinion, thus, could you please answer to the question of the pollster on the right side of this page. Thank you!

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