Latvia's Prime Minister Ivars Godmanis told Latvian Radio that the criminal proceedings started by the Security Police against two persons for allegedly undermining the national currency and financial system "were an incomplete interpretation of the law" (Whatever that means).
At the same time, the PM said that people have to reckon with the consequences of what they say, and that it cannot be that " a law is adopted and cannot be applied to anyone in this country".
In what was described as an unwilling discussion of the prosecutions that have made front page headlines in Latvia, Godmanis finally tilted toward justifying the Security Police actions by saying that anyone making statements at a public event (alluding to the concert where musician Valters Fridenbergs joked about taking money from banks??) or in the media (alluding to the publication of college instructor Dmitrijs Smirnovs) that call for specific actions, and "if the law sees that it may destabilize the financial system" one "has to reckon with the consequences."
The news report, in Latvian, can be found here.
So what has the head of the government that ultimately runs the Security Police said? Uncomfortable mumblings that almost take no position but sort of leave things as they are. No specifics as to how the law was incompletely intepreted. And if so, what should be done? Should someone clarify the law to the Security Police so they act differently. At best, it looks like Godmanis senses, somewhere through the post-soviet fog, that his police agency and government have serioiusly fucked up. He just don't know what to do..
The other is that the PMs mutterings merit a moderately loud WTF???
6 comments:
Rock solid leader that one. Everyone should be feeling much better now!
That's politician talking.
Everybody is puzzled now as of what exactly is that what he wanted to say and if it does make any sense.
As well might have stayed quiet and saved bandwidth...
What a misery!
From Anonymous #3
Basically Godmanis said that he has heard some complaints about the secret police actions, but they are just going to keep doing what they are doing. Free speech is not really understood in Latvia.
If you say something that the state doesn't like, the politicians think they should be able to do whatever they can against you in the name of the state. Hey, it has been like that for most of the last century in Latvia.
@Anonymous #3
I had hoped for more from Godmanis, this is his second term in office after all. He should know better.
NB! Godmanis as PM is a compromise solution and yet another marionette. The question is rather what his "political sponsor(s)" behind the scene thinks.
It is as ususal local business that runs the country, though the strategy now is likely to be rescuing and minimising damage to the private positions - economical and other - that these sponsors have.
And, offcourse new "business opportunities" that are developing, both from the international rescue operations that are in the pipeline, and from the vacuum/unbalance that is already appearing after that some "power groups" are counted out as victims or becoming vulnerable. There are massive transfers of wealth occuring already...
Some things never change.
But, more investigative reporting/blogging into the real power and who the true beneficiarires are may these days actually make a difference, especially if the international community catch on good. But be careful out there. And you Yuri. Who dares...
The PM's comment, that DP did not start investigations on it own, but did it basing on the complaints it had received, seems especially silly.
It sounds like if DP would not have their own heads on their shoulders, but would have to obey orders from those who file the complaints, even when it means"creative" interpretation of laws and unmotivated arrests.
But! What if this IS the truth? What if DP in this case actually is acting like a private army or security service for a particular business? A bank? A particular bank?
Having Security Police for "hired guns"?
Jees, sounds like worst of stereotypes of Latin America countries run by juntas...
P.S. Am I spreading rumors? Will I be arrested.. oh .. "detained", sorry? Will we see stadiums converted into concentration camps any time soon? (It had happened before)
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