Almost everywhere, with more or less sound, another historically important fulfillment for us is being chanted – these May days are 20 years since we were admitted to the European Union. “You are ME! We – ME!” – several events have been organized with this motto. We are also in NATO, and during the course of the festivities, it was often said that in the event of an invasion, we will be protected from the first centimeter of the earth. But immediately also misconceptions: aren’t we being misled, because by the time 28 countries agree, the invading tanks from Zilupe will already be in Riga.
Languages and non-languages are not disappearing anywhere
Those that seem to have sounded with unprecedented volume and full of drama right on the eve of the big holiday and historical dates to be celebrated do not disappear either. Last April we had… “Possible falsification of election results – another blow to trust in politicians”, “It smells like a general crisis” – messages with the same or similar headlines are literally swirling, shouts on portals are more terrible than others. It is true that there are already editions and broadcasts where negations are more down-to-earth, even half-correct.
“I’m ashamed,” – this is what our ex-president, still active global politician Vaira Vīke-Freiberga said in “Rīta Panorama” on April 30, and thoroughly shamed those currently in power. “Latvia can! You just have to work on it. But there you need someone who has passion and vision and who is ready to stress and make an effort.” The ex-president with an exclamation mark on the TV screen was to some extent a summary of what the Council of Foreign Investors had previously harshly concluded in its assessment about the investment environment in Latvia and the incompetence of politicians in attracting them. In the annual message, the current situation in Latvia is assessed as the lowest so far.
After such alarming presentations, I myself included the media in the number of culprits. Brothers and sisters journalists, we have not been able to see and hear enough to keep the field of economic and state development as the focus of our work! In most publications, we often limit ourselves to making fun of the fact that we are lagging behind our neighbors, Estonians and Lithuanians.
Like a sip of fresh water
In the middle of many national holidays, the 30th anniversary concert of the Riga Dome Choir School was played very brightly in the Daile Theater, which was shown for two and a half hours on the LTV 1 program. Oh! What a performance of schoolgirls and their teachers, an appearance for the public! Touching. And next to it is a general opinion: “Latvians are extremely talented, and it’s not just a slogan.” I admit that we don’t even know all the peaks to which Latvians have reached. When it comes to choral music, the field of culture, we are a cultural superpower on a global scale, moreover, if we look at the total population, then we are one major superpower. International cooperation colleagues can’t help but admire how we manage to achieve this, how everything can be so productive and at a high level,” said conductor Gints Ceplenieks, head of the Dom Choir School, in a conversation with journalist Diānas Janci.
I will reveal that with this issue of “Lauku Avīzes” in my pocket, I went to both official holiday events and private parties in order to sprinkle myself with quotes at the opportunity. Oh, how fitting to have a bunch of foreigners in the audience!
And at the gatherings of the last holiday, when I got to the name, I used to share my memories of journalists, which will remain in history forever. In fact, I have often wondered why it is not emphasized so little or even almost at all that in the May 4, 1990 vote for Latvia’s independence, a significant, even decisive role was played by the journalists who were elected to the Supreme Council in considerable numbers at that time. To this day, I am proud and even proud that the restorers of independence were the two closest colleagues from the common careers at LTV “Panorama” – Brigita Zeltkalne and Jānis Gavars. Mavriks Vulfsons, the uniqueness of Revival at that time, who was often carried on his arms and blessed with flowers in his lap, should be considered as the third television representative. And the fourth – also closely connected with television – was the leader of the People’s Front Dainis İvans himself.
Next, I used to recite a verse learned by heart: Jānis Škapars of the popular “Literatures and Arts” at the time, Juris Celmiņš, editor of “Tukuma Ziņotāja”, Vilis Seleckis from “Skolotaiu Avīzes”, “Jūrmala” newspaper, Velta Čebotarenokas, who were once very militant, are among the people who restored the country. From the circles of journalists and writers, there are also independence restorers Imants Ziedonis, Odisejs Kostanda, Ita Kozakeviča, Jānis Krūmiņš, Igors Novels and, yes, also Russians: the editor-in-chief of the Russian edition of the magazine “Daugava” Vladlen Dozortsev, the editor-in-chief of the Russian edition of “Atmodas” Aleksej Grigorjevs. Unfortunately, most of them could see the celebration of the 34th anniversary of the restoration of the Republic of Latvia somewhere from the edge of the clouds. And the writer of these lines waved greetings to them.
However, one of the 138 members of the Supreme Council who voted for independence sometimes come out to meet on the sinful land and share some thoughts in the living, on the day of the celebration they are seen in places of honor, traditionally taking photos in front of the Saeima building. It’s a pleasure to see them quite energetic, healthy, evaluating current events with a sharp mind. Of course, with the respected veterans, it is interesting to transfer at least a little bit of everything that has recently fallen on our leaders and rulers in the “Jauna Vienotība” party. Enough for them, enough for the independence restorers. However, for political veterans, the anxiety and concern is also about whether the scandals created in such a well-known sequence and the ever-increasing outcry are not a variant of the black forces, a thoroughly planned scenario in advance. And doesn’t the coordination come from there, where they would like to do the same with us, as has been happening for a long time in Ukraine.
In fact, we all have things to worry about. Against the background of the lack of presence in Riga, the idea of establishing the People’s Republic of Latgale is being heard more and more on the eastern border, as if it had been launched as a joke. It’s even scary to imagine what is actually hidden in the slogans that are already expressed with a smile. Laima Linuža, the ever-jostling editor of the regional newspaper “Ludzas Zeme”, has been in the capital’s media, ordering the state security forces to take action. To put it simply, those who encourage the destruction of the country should be taken by the collar and taken to where they belong. But even then, the sharp Latgalian reveals with heartache those who are baiting the country’s haters. She emotionally describes what it is like when suddenly the inhabitants of a remote village are left without a piece of daily bread, because, you see, the car shop, which stopped by at least once or twice a week, announced that it does not pay to go to the distant ones with a load of goods. It is not difficult to understand what the desperate border residents think and what kind of country they would like.
Freedom. Independence. Safety. Development. That’s all they wanted then, on the beautiful spring day of May 4, thousands near the Saeima building, who counted every voter named “for” in the sitting hall. When the required number of votes for the declaration and four more legally opened the possibility of being independent, there was no end to the ecstasy, there were genuine tears of joy. You can imagine and feel what happened in many places throughout the country and on the edges of the world, where the stalls live.
From a modern point of view, it might seem that there is nothing special about raising your hand or clicking on an electronic device in a vote. Without going into long explanations, it should be stated clearly and clearly in one sentence: “for” voters took a risk, they could be arrested or shot right there in the Saeima sitting hall.
Fortunately, we did what was pre-forged, weighed, and cherished with diabolical efforts. “Road to May 4th” and “Return to Europe” offered by the TV3 News Service were perfect for the memory of what was happening at that time or for the understanding of the new generations. On the one hand, it should also be noted that the Internet comments showed an opinion: if Ita Kozakeviča were to get up from her resting place, she would seriously punish the creators and consultants of the film “My Freedom”. The film is presented to the audience as a historical drama; come on stucco, where is living reality, where is what is invented to brighten up art.
The media reviewer has analyzed everything that was written, shown, told, reflecting the events of the holiday season, he even looked through the congratulations of the statesmen and stateswomen several times, unfortunately this time he did not find any particularly outstanding performance. Just don’t laugh, what I will reveal right away: out of all the huge presentation of the holiday, what excited my mind the most was what Bishop Jānis Bulis of Rēzekne-Aglona Diocese said at the solemn service on May 4 in Rēzekne’s Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Cathedral.
The well-known Latgalian clergyman admitted with regret that the value system of many, especially young people, has degraded. If a person does not have a strong inner spiritual support, he is not able to support his family, nation, or country, let alone give his life, if he had to do it, so that Latvia does not fall under the yoke of occupation again. And at the end, with a well-perceived subtext, it was devoutly pointed out from the altar stand that Latvia needs its people not to fight against each other, thus creating a division of society, but to stand together for the development and prosperity of the country.
Tags: Shame dishonor interweaves great admired likes screw country
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