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Boris Berezovsky |
Last Friday, September, 30, the Prime-Minister of Latvia Aigars Kalvitis suddenly called Boris Berezovsky "unwanted person", whose entering the Latvian territory is forbidden. Already in the beginning of this year, the Latvian authorities saluted the former Russian politician and magnate as the fighter of the hostile Putin's regime. What was exactly the thing that made the official Riga change its position in such a principal issue so abruptly?
In February, 2005, the Latvian leadership represented by the Vice-Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andris Teikmanis (today's ambassador in Moscow), expressed support to the former Russian politician and magnate, today – the British citizen, Boris Berezovsky. Teikmanis officially declared that Moscow's demand of Berezovsky's extradition wouldn't be satisfied. "As the United Kingdom and Latvia are the members of the European Union, having common values and sharing a high level of mutual trust, Latvia has no basis to doubt the fairness of the UK position, according to which Boris Berezovsky might be persecuted in Russia for political motive," – Teikmanis said. Just to remind: this declaration was made in February, i.e. eight months ago.
Today obviously the Latvian
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| Aigars Kalvitis |
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leadership does not already have trust in Great Britain, and doubts the fairness of Her Majesty's government's decision. Otherwise the Latvian Prime-Minister Aigars Kalvitis would have never sounded the following, not very respectful sentence: if Berezovsky is a refugee let him run there, to where he fled. Kalvitis' declaration was made only a week after the visit of Berezovsky to Riga, on September 21. At present, Berezovsky, who leads an active struggle against the Putin's regime, lives in Great Britain, having the British citizenship and the status of a political refugee. He came to Latvia with the younger brother of the American president, Neil Bush, and some other prominent entrepreneurs. It is important to remind that already in February, while his first visit to Riga, Berezovsky opened here the branch of the Civil Liberties Foundation, and declared his intention to spend about $100.000 for support of the cultural and educational projects in the republic. His recent visit was not an exception. According to the exclusive information we have, Berezovsky and the businessmen who came with him viewed the plans to create in Latvia a large Russian-speaking media holding, the purpose of which would be the counteraction to the informational influence of Moscow towards the Russian-speaking
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Neil Bush |
Diaspora in Eastern and Central Europe. First steps in realization of this project were already made. As it seems, it promises Latvia, first of all, considerable financial investments, and secondly – a respectable place in the camp of Putin's dictatorship fighters. It is worse mentioning that Berezovsky fully and openly supported Latvia's position in its territorial dispute with Russia towards Abrene region. This circumstance seems to be quite important for Latvia, taking in account the large-scale connections that Berezovsky has in London and Washington. However, this circumstance was neglected by Riga. "My opinion about Berezovsky is absolutely clear: I think he will create a real threat for the Latvian State, and should be included in the list of the unwanted persons," – the Prime-Minister Kalvitis told in the interview to the Latvian television. "His arrival might lead to the international contradictions. Because we will find ourselves in an inconvenient condition, for he is in the international inquiry, and effectively he should be detained till the ascertaining of his personality. Mister Berezovsky should not come in our country any more." The Latvian Prime-Minister also promised that in the nearest future he will present the appropriate proposal to the National Security Council of Latvia.
Such an expected negative position of Aigars Kalvitis towards Berezovsky is interesting not by itself, but rather in a larger geopolitical context. It is absolutely obvious that small Latvia, which is fully dependent on its NATO patrons (first of all the USA), and the EU, would have never take such a position towards one of the main opponents of the Russian regime, not having an appropriate sanction. Same way as it would have never let Berezovsky enter the country twice during this year, regardless of Moscow's open protest. Moreover, the independent critics of the visit, in which one of the participants was the brother of the US president, seems to be a diplomatic nonsense, of course if Latvia did not get a mandate for such a behavior…
Read in the next article:
"Fighters for freedom are not needed any more. Boris Berezovsky – the victim of the energetic blackmail".
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