8
EESTI ELU reedel, 3. juulil 2020 — Friday, July 3, 2020
Nr. 26
Dark days ahead for Canada-Russia relations as Putin certain to win referendum Marcus Kolga, Contributor, The Toronto Star, June 2020 (before referendum) In a few days, Russian voters will “choose” whether to English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly accept a constitutional amend “EESTI ELU” ment that will allow Russia’s Tartu College Publications President Vladimir Putin to Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld remain in power until 2036. Editor: Laas Leivat By that year, he will be 83 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 years old. Canada must be T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca prepared for such an out Digital: www.eestielu.ca come. The opportunity for Putin to exit Russian politics democrati cally and bloodlessly likely DON: Is that you Vlad? DON: Hey, I’ve got rid of passed in 2012. After stepping aside for four years following many generals. VLAD: Yes it’s me Donnie. his first two terms, Putin ran for VLAD: So have I, but not in DON: Listen, congrats on a third presidential term. your referendum win. You’ll the same way. Since then, the Russian ruler’s have plenty of time to MRGA. DON: Read you loud and armed forces and intelligence VLAD: What? clear. agents have invaded and oc DON: Make Russia Great DON: That’s what I like cupied Crimea and Eastern Again. You know my election is about you. You know who’s the Ukraine, shot down a civilian in November. The Fake News boss man and so does everyone airliner, aided in the bombing SOBs say my polls are down. else. of civilians in Syria, engaged in VLAD: No Fake News in VLAD: Uncle Joe was even extraterritorial assassinations, Russia. It’s not allowed. a better boss man. I try to be and interfered in dozens of DON: Fake News here are like him. elections in efforts to under asking about your boys paying DON: Uncle Joe who? mine the western rules-based the Taliban for any US soldiers VLAD: Uncle Joe Stalin, order. In addition, pro-demo killed. that’s who. cracy opposition leader Boris VLAD: No way! DON: I’ve heard of him. But Nemtsov was gunned down DON: I’ve said that it’s a they tell me statues of him have steps from the Kremlin in 2015, New York Times hoax. all been taken down. while Nemtsov’s colleague, VLAD: Right. VLAD: That was done be Vladimir Kara-Murza, survived DON: And I’m not going to fore my time. Now a few are two attempted poisonings. do anything about it. being put up. Putin is acutely aware of the VLAD: (Could be heard DON: The same is hap destruction and chaos that he swearing in Russian and say pening here. The socialist left and his fellow kleptocrats have ing, “He should keep his mouth ies are tearing down General sown and the massive wealth shut.”) Bobbie Lee and his buddies just and power that they have accu DON: It helps me when you because they wanted to keep on mulated along the way. For say that the US and Russia rela owning a few slaves. him, the alternative paths to re tions are now bad. But we can VLAD: What’s a few slaves? maining in power could lead to still be friends, can’t we? No Uncle Joe got rid of a few mil criminal and war crimes trials, one needs to know. lion and got the same treatment. or a trip straight to the gallows. VLAD: And Donnie, it’s VLAD: Tell me how you’re This is why last March, good for me when guys like going to handle John Bolton’s Putin reluctantly agreed to sup Newt Gingrich get the new book about you? He says port his legislative allies who Presidential Medal of Freedom you didn’t know Finland wasn’t begged him to eliminate presi from you. part of Russia. (Don could hear dential term limits in order to DON: What? Vlad’s muffled snicker on the allow Putin to remain in power VLAD: Gingrich said the other end of the line.) 12 years past his current term, Baltic states were nothing more DON: It’s all lies. But look which ends in 2024. than St Petersburg’s back yard. at what I’ve done for you. I There is never any doubt DON: It’s the least I can do. made Manafort campaign man about what the outcomes of VLAD: The Balts have al ager when he was lobbying Wa elections in Putin’s Russia will ways been cocky little upstarts. shington to block Ukraine from be, and the rescheduled July 1 DON: Hey, no problem. the E.U. and NATO. I supported constitutional referendum is no VLAD: Did you see my pa you being elected in 2018, even different. rade in Moscow? though some said the vote was And yet, sagging popularity DON: Yeah. You got cojones rigged. I’ve said people in making 14,000 march side by Crimea would rather be ruled side with no face masks. Now from Moscow than Kiev. I held they’re what I call real men. up $400 million in weapons to again.) And I’ve told you, it VLAD: Hey, you’re no dif Ukraine last year. I’m pulling was the Ukrainians who hacked ferent with those huge rallies troops out of Syria to clear the the Democrat’s computer. ground for you. After you shot (Another snicker.) and no masks. DON: But the generals still at Ukrainian warships in 2018, I DON: I still tell people I be won’t let me do a parade with didn’t say a word. I support lieve you. Listen Vlady, I’m this Kungflu scam. A few years your political friends in Europe pulling about 10,000 soldiers ago they even balked when I such as Orban in Hungary and out of NATO. And I didn’t give La Pen in France. wanted it for July 4th. them any heads up. I’ve said VLAD: Thanks for backing that NATO is obsolete. They VLAD: Listen, you’re the commander in chief. They got me in Helsinki a couple of don’t like it. They keep on re years ago when they pointed minding me about your little to do as told. DON: In Washington it fingers at me for messing in Crimea business and that you’re doesn’t work that way. The old your 2016 presidential elec pestering the Ukrainians across generals protested when I want tions. At the press briefing you the border. But I keep on de ed to send in the troops to bust said I don’t lie. You’re solid manding that they let you back Donnie. up street protests. into the G8. DON: I got a lot of bad press VLAD: I’m grateful. But VLAD: In Russia, if any gen can’t you do something about eral disagrees with me, he’s then. through. I mean HE IS VLAD: You know we won’t the sanctions? DON: The SOBs in Cong THROUGH! interfere. (VLAD snickers
Another perfect phone call
ratings, the mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis, and the col lapse of oil prices are clearly making the Kremlin nervous. There is a growing number of disenfranchised young Russians who expect Westernstyle freedoms and a European standard of living. These Russians are looking for pos sible alternatives to Putin. Among the highest profile pro-democracy and anti-cor ruption alternatives is Alexei Navalny, who was charged by Russian authorities with crimi nal slander last week – a trans parent attempt to silence him before the referendum. Petr Verzilov, a Canadian citizen and member of the activist Russian punk collective Pussy Riot, was detained on Sunday, in a not-sosubtle warning to deter other Russian activists. Recently, despite being in the midst of pandemic, the Kremlin held a mass demonstration of military power to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. In addition to commemorating Russia’s veterans, the propagan da event glorified the Soviet conquest and occupation of much of Central and Eastern Europe, through which Putin deflects attention of Russian voters away from pesky distrac tions like democracy, human rights, and a Western-style stan dard of living. The goal of glorifying the Stalinist Soviet Union of two generations ago is to suggest that the same glory can be achieved, so long as Vladimir Putin remains at the helm. Russia’s neighbours are also keenly alert to Putin’s sinking poll numbers. In late 2013, Putin’s popularity was at its lowest since he became Presi dent in 2000 but by the summer of 2014, after invading Ukraine and annexing Crimea, he hit a near all-time high. In addition to the heightened anxiety of our Eastern NATO partners, there are other poten tial consequences for Canada; Russia’s rapid militarization of the Arctic among them. Over the past decade, at least 30 Russian Arctic military bases
ress won’t go along. VLAD: Remember that I can still tell my Russian banker friends to be willing to finance your new golf courses and re sorts. DON: Well I guess our time is up. Good to chat without any SOB whistleblowers listening in. By the way, your photo on horseback with bear chest is excellent PR. If I do that I’ll be called vain. But with you its real macho. VLAD: Hey, I may have the pectorals but you got the hair. We both work at it. DON: Like I say, it’s been a perfect phone call. VLAD: Yeah, makes me all tingly inside. LAAS LEIVAT
have been built or refurbished as part of Russia’s 2035 Arctic Masterplan, which calls for an aggressive expansion of Arctic resource claims. A recent study by the Canada’s National Security and Intelligence Committee of Par liamentarians warned in a new report that the Kremlin “engages in foreign interference activities across Canada’s political sys tem” and that “the nature and extent of Russia’s foreign inter ference threat is significant.” More worrying is the Canadian government’s failure to address this well documented threat since the last federal election. With the outcome of Russia’s constitutional referendum next week a fait accompli, the Trudeau government must pre pare for yet darker days ahead by heeding the warnings of our intelligence experts and work ing with our NATO allies to de fend our collective sovereignty. (Marcus Kolga is a senior fel low at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute’s Center for Advancing Canada’s Interests Abroad.)
Over 20 countries express support to Baltic Pride The Baltic Times, BNS, June 2020 TALLINN – Over 20 coun tries as well as the Estonian representation of the Nordic Council of Ministers express support in a common declara tion to Baltic Pride 2020, which was originally set to take place in Tallinn on June 1–7, but due to the COVID-19 situation, it will instead be celebrated digitally on June 22–28. “We voice our support for efforts to safeguard and pro mote the human rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans gender and Intersex persons and to raise public awareness of the issues affecting the LGBTI communities in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania,” it is said in the declaration. “Human rights apply to every human being, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. Respect for these basic principles obliges States to protect all citizens from violence and discrimina tion and to ensure they enjoy equal opportunities. We reaffirm the inherent dignity of each in dividual as expressed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,” the declaration said. “For this, we need to keep working together to create an environment of inclusion and equality, free from discrimina tion, where all human rights are fully guaranteed. We pay tribute to the important work of the LGBTI communities in the Baltic states, as well as the (Continued on page 9)
