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In the Baltic Times

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In the Baltic Times THE BALTIC TIMES SEPTEMBER 30 – ocTOBER 6, 2010 15 OPINION How are things going for your new magazine Ir? Things that are not, but should be discussed They’re going well. Subscrip- tions and advertising are going up, (What’s next for the Latvian dream: death or transformation?) so I think we’ve found a readership. People are still coming up to me and saying how much they like it and At first there was an idea then to press charges, so that a tribal chief who betrayed his Thus, the true principles of I’m especially pleased that young to make a list of facts that the Time of Great Irresponsi- nation many centuries ago. At humanity valued by the people people seem to like it. There’s still a long way to go, but I think all the would have to be considered bility can stop. this moment in time it is quite are not reflected in Latvia’s trends are good. before Latvian parliamentary Yes, we can find facts, like appropriate to describe in this leadership right now. When you and your fellow elections on October 2, 2010, black on white, and list all the way those who have sold their Gone are the times when journalists left Diena there was but then it seemed a useless empty promises. We can cre- conscience to the greedy ex- we had trust. Luckily, we still an apprehensive feeling that the media in Latvia was becoming repetition. Everybody knows ate an alternative personal cesses that they have made, understand what goes on and more controlled by politicians those responsible for the mis- philosophy wondering if all and still want to make, in spite can see through the strategi- and business interests. Is this a worrying trend in Latvia? ery of this state – Skele, Kalvi- is not lost... yet. We can ask of the crisis and people’s mis- cally presented lies. Money I think it is. Public television tis, Slesers, Godmanis, Dema- what motivates those who ery. is not everything and it will has become increasingly tame in its coverage of politics; all the ma- kova, Vike-Freiberga, Kalniete... are supposed to serve the na- Of course, the ethnic Rus- never be. There are things one jor newspapers are now owned by and many others from the past tion? And we can answer it as sian politicians of Latvia have cannot buy, and it applies also business interests with political agendas, so this is a problem. At the like Gailis, Cevers, Kristopans, - thirst for power, money, ben- also helped to bring the coun- to the state values, which are same time, a significant part of the Jurkans... This list is very long efits, greed, popularity... Then try down by using the weak- not represented by politicians journalistic community has a real commitment to covering the news and may take up the whole we are left to wonder what is ness of the existing authority at this time. Now is the time and does not simply accept having page. left of true statesmenship and and using Russian financial re- to lead the society back to its someone say, “now you’re going to write a nice article about this guy In any other time they love – not only loving our land sources, which some Latvians roots of moral values and ex- or that guy.” So there are limits to would be jailed or guillotined and people but also our coun- have also probably been using. amine the past 20 years. how much this kind of political in- fluence can achieve. Also, despite by now. We are now waiting try that we wanted to be free Then let’s uncover it all, to the Justice must prevail. Crimes this increasing control, it doesn’t for them to commit a mass and independent. very core. must be uncovered and those seem to be moving the polls. It’s pos- sible that people have become smart suicide, which they under- Do our politicians love this Because of the aforemen- who committed them against enough to separate the wheat from standably do not want to do. land, this state, and people? And tioned loss of dignity and this country must be tried and the chaff, and they get what they need from the media. But a problem By no means is this a call for themselves? Can they sleep at honor, people have resorted convicted. Hopefully this is I see, especially with the newspa- violence. It is rather a call to night? Or do they believe that to the saying “I love this land what Dombrovskis, the out- pers, partly because of the owners and partly because the newspaper use the existing legal system – they can do what they want but I hate this state.” It is not going Latvian prime minister, business is so troubled due to the the same way Latvia regained and never get caught? so easy to accept that the re- had in mind when he initiated crisis, is that we’re not seeing in- vestigative journalism anymore. It independence. It would mean Lucky are Latvian forefa- sponsibility for the state lies in a case against Slesers at the used to be that Diena broke stories a thorough investigation, most thers, who are no longer here their own hands. However, it State General Prosecutor’s of- about the world of power that you couldn’t get anywhere else, but likely initiated by the current to witness this travesty that is probably a mission impos- fice, and hopefully this is what that’s not happening any more. The president of Latvia, to deter- has befallen the second Repub- sible for any honest man to will transpire after the cases real danger isn’t overt propaganda – the real danger is that you only get mine those responsible for the lic of Latvia. In Latvian there is go through the thick and dark of Lembergs and Skele are fi- to know what the politicians want meltdown of the country and a word - kangars - a tribute to layers of the corruption web. nally resolved. you to know. o Interview by Philip Birzulis The week in weather LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dear TBT, ment, media, academia) who are friend. That will one day be obvi- working overtime to hide or mini- ous when the country does finally As a long-time reader of the mize the highly-significant role come to terms with its Holocaust TBT, I have been saddened by the of Lithuanian Nazi collaborators history.” decline of the quality of the cov- in the mass murder of Jews dur- His recent book, ‘Operation erage of events in Lithuania. Most ing the Holocaust, during which Last Chance: One Man’s Quest to painfully, far-right ultranational- around 95 percent of Lithuanian Bring Nazi Criminals to Justice,’ ist politics, with the usual racist Jewry was massacred, and who has a chapter on Lithuania that is and anti-semitic undertones have seek to rewrite history in a spirit full of warm appreciation for the not only come to dominate; they of ultra-nationalism, are natu- numerous Lithuanians from all are routinely misrepresented as rally unhappy with anyone who across the country who came for- impartial news. The most recent exposes their ruses; alas they ward to submit evidence regard- and shocking example came in the often go in for personal slander ing Holocaust crimes because Sept. 2 issue where an unsigned and calumny. Your readers are re- they wanted to bear witness on Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon Tue editorial (!) on the Opinion page spectfully invited to visit my Web the tragic fate of their Jewish Sep 30 Oct 1 Oct 2 Oct 3 Oct 4 Oct 5 describes Dr. Efraim Zuroff, the site, www.HolocaustInTheBaltics. neighbors in the hope that those celebrated historian, Nazi hunt- com, to become acquainted with responsible would finally be held er, and director of the Wiesenthal the fascinating and complex is- accountable. This in a country Center’s Israel office, as “playing sues in play. whose once prominent Jewish Estonia Moscow’s political games.” Many years ago at a press con- population lies in over 200 mass Dr. Zuroff is a New York- ference in Vilnius, Dr. Zuroff was graves in every part of what was 13°/5° 14°/8° 13°/9° 12°/6° 11°/3° 9°/3° born modern Orthodox Jewish asked why he is against Lithu- once their native land. historian who lives in Efrat, on ania. His reply, as I remember Yours sincerely, the West Bank near Jerusalem. it, was: “I am not at all against Dovid Katz Latvia He was a dedicated Soviet Jewry Lithuania. On the contrary, by activist who has condemned com- asking that someone accused of Dovid Katz was professor of Yiddish at 10°/4° 11°/6° 11°/7° 11°/4° 10°/3° 9°/3° munist totalitarianism through- murdering many innocent Lithu- Vilnius University for eleven years. out his career. The attacks on Dr. anian citizens be given a fair The revised edition of his book ‘Lithuanian Zuroff from the far right ultrana- trial in a Lithuanian court, with Jewish Culture’ has just appeared in Vilnius. Lithuania tionalist Lithuanian media are a Lithuanian judge, in the Lithu- He is currently chief analyst despicable, but one had come to anian language, under the flag of at the Litvak Studies Institute. 17°/7° 20°/10° 20°/10° 21°/10° 21°/14° 15°/11° expect better of The Baltic Times. independent, democratic Lithu- www.litvakstudiesinstitute.org/. Those in high places (govern- ania, I am acting as your true Web site: www.DovidKatz.net MAIN OFFICE Advertising: VILNIUS OFFICE AdvErtISING/SUBSCRIPTION Chairman: Gene Zolotarev Raugyklos 15, Room 305 IN TALLINN IN RIGA [email protected] Editor: Dorian Ziedonis Vilnius, LITHUANIA Romix Projekt OÜ Rupniecibas 1-5, Subscription: Bureau Manager: Lilija Banaitiene Vana Lõuna 19-206 13520 Tallinn Published in Riga Managing Director: Sergey Alekseyev Riga LV 1010, LATVIA [email protected] Tel./fax: (370 5) 2124490 Phone: (372) 6129414 by BALTIC NEWS Ltd.
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