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EESTI ELU reedel, 4. septembril 2020 — Friday, September 4, 2020
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Estonia bars entry to Belarusian president, 29 other high-ranking officials ERR, 1 September 2020 English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly “EESTI ELU” Tartu College Publications Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld Editor: Laas Leivat 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca
Russian aggressiveness and the Western far-right, a mutually beneficial meeting of the like-minded Moscow and European ultra- operating with Russia in on any right nationalists have some issues undermining Estonian core interests in common: a interests. In fact EKRE opposes, weakened European Union as do all the other parties repreplagued with inner conflicts; sented in Estonia’s parliament, an autocratic approach to the lifting of international sancgoverning; a stranglehold on tions against Russia, imposed any critical media; a xenopho for the assault on Georgia, the bic attitude towards foreign annexation of Crimea and its ers; the use of populist rheto military involvement in Ukraine. ric that has traction for those But EKRE has been noted to disenchanted with liberal- have trustworthy relationships democracy. with some high profile, RussiaContact between Russian ac- friendly, far right political figures in Europe and leading tivists and representatives of the Western far right can be traced EKRE members have partici back to the early 1990s. But pated in the European far right these initial relationships had deliberations and forums. low public visibility and were The links between Russia mainly between people not en- and the Western far right have joying any political clout. The been growing not only in links have grown, as Moscow Europe but have also burgeoned has assumed a more intense and with US publicists, ideologues active anti-Western stance, and and politicians. Most notable is developed undisguised relation- the cozy relationship that forships at a much higher political mer Trump chief strategist level. Steve Bannon has with Russian Initially Russia’s goal was to actors. In 2018 he established a gain legitimacy for its actions new coalition, The Movement, both abroad and at home. Now headquartered in Brussels, with it’s concentrating its efforts the goal of boosting the co through its Western proxies, operation among the various particularly among far right groups providing a conduit for groupings, to weaken the the Kremlin’s influence operaliberal-democratic underpinnings tions in the West. of the West and to increase its Even though he has worked influence in European politics. in Wall Street investment bankMoscow’s inroads, both overt ing, Bannon has referred to and covert, can be seen in himself as a “Leninist” – pro numerous ethnic-nationalist and bably a designation for his populist movements, and regis- revolutionary brand of extreme tered political parties in Europe: right conservatism – he has Finland’s True Finns; Den praised Vladimir Putin and a mark’s Danish People’s Party; breed of Russian mystical consia Bulgaria’s Ataca; the Greek servatism known as “Eura Golden Dawn; Sweden’s Swe nism”. The latter promotes a den Democrats; Spain’s Vox; grand empire of Slavic and Belgium’s Vlaams Belang; Turkic peoples which glorifies Hungary’s Fidesz and Jobbik; Russian leadership. A common Italy’s Lega Nord; Norway’s aspiration shared by Bannon Progress Party; the Netherlands’ and Russian nationalists is a Dutch Freedom Party; Nor weakened European Union, a way’s Progress Party; Austria’s development that Trump has Party for Freedom; France’s never opposed. In fact many National Rally; Germany’s critics perceive his confrontaAlternative fur Deutschland; tional behaviour with European leaders to be obvious evidence France’s National Rally. Although the international of this. media has characterized Esto Even though the political nia’s Estonian Conservative honeymoon between Putin and Peoples’ Party (EKRE) as having Trump seems to be over, they a somewhat similar political still adhere to the same political profile as the Russia-supported agenda for the European Union European parties, especially as does the European far right. with respect to the European This surely emboldens Putin’s Union and immigration, EKRE Kremlin in supporting anti-EU has not been identified as co candidates for the European
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a list of Belarusians barred from entry to Estonia, in the wake of the controversial presiden tial elections in that country earlier in August. President Alexander Lukashenko him self is on the list, along with several other figures in the Belarus’ leadership. The list has been drawn up in conjunction with the Inter national Sanctions Act, and the individuals, the ministry says, played a central role in both election rigging and violent crackdowns against protestors which followed the 66-year-old Lukashenko’s return to office for a sixth term, on August 9. The ban comes into force on Monday, August 31, and will remain in place until August 30 2025, the ministry says. The move was made concurrently with similar entry bans issued by Latvia and Lithuania, and sanctions against Belarus are also being drafted at EU level. “With these sanctions, we are demonstrating that we are addressing the human rights violations in Belarus with ut most seriousness. At the same time, we consider it important not to punish the people of Belarus,” foreign minister Urmas Reinsalu said via a press release, stressing that Estonia supports the free will of the people of Belarus and their aspirations for democratic change. The five-year prohibition of entry to the Republic of Estonia (in force from 31 August 2020 until 30 August 2025) applies to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, his son and security adviser Viktor Lukashenko, the minister of the interior, the minister of justice, the prose cutor-general, officials of from president’s administration, members of the election committee, and law enforcement representatives.
Jesse Markin.
Photo: Elis Jaansoo
We’re Listening with EMW: Tallinn Music Week 2020 Elis Jaansoo and Vincent Teetsov From Thursday August 27th to Sunday August 30th, the streets of Estonia’s capital were astir with the movement of musicians, industry profes sionals, and live music lovers attending the 11th Tallinn Music Week. It’s a distinctive festival in the way audiences see many brief concerts, from a vast range of genres, in unorthodox venues across the city. With Elis Jaansoo there reporting on behalf of Eesti Elu and Estonian Music Week, we could just about reach out from the front row, see the swirling stage lights, and feel the resonant rhythms. On opening day, I Wear* Experiment rolled out energetic electronic soundscapes. To follow, rapper and singer-songwriter Jesse Markin came over with his band from Finland, to engulf the audience with cavernous synth pads and guitar. His lyrics and vocal delivery had many stories to
tell. The evening finished strong with Anna Kaneelina and her raw, vulnerable set of ethereal pop. On the TIKS Records stage on day two, jonas.f.k (Jonas Kaarnamets), who founded Frankie Animal and who also plays guitar with NOËP and Erki Pärnoja, started things up with songs from his swaggering new solo EP buda.01. His songs weave neatly between alternative dance music and elements of sophisti-pop. Vera Vice opened the IDA Radio night at the new Kai Art Centre, which felt so fitting for the duo’s poetic ambient sounds and hypnotic vocals. Right after, Jarek Kasar, also known as Chalice, brought a presence to the stage that can only be described as muhe in Estonian. His special DJ set “Põhjad” took the audience on a journey of instrumentals that made us smile, head bob, and
The Belarusian government will take appropriate mea sures in response to the sanc tions imposed on a number of high-ranking Belarusian offi cials by the Baltic countries, the Belarusian Foreign Minis
try said on Monday. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Anatoly Glaz said in a statement: “Our Baltic neighbors have also launched a sanction spiral. We have said before that Belarus will have to take proper countermeasures against the initiators of such steps. And this will be done.” On Monday, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania imposed an entry ban on 30 Belarusian officials, including President Alexander Lukashenko, for falsifying elec-
tion results and using violence against peaceful protesters. In addition to the president, the blacklist includes officials from his administration, the Central Commission of Belarus on Elections, the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Justice, the Prosecutor Ge neral’s Office, the State Security Committee, the In vestigations Committee, the Security Council, the State Audit Committee and the Minsk city government.
Union parliament throughout Europe. Prior to the 2019 election of the EU parliament, the convergence of three interests was such an in-your-face presence,
that French President Em ma nuel Macron, directly accused the European Union’s enemies to be far-right nationalists, foreign (Russian) political ac tors and someone “close to the
American power” structures. Steve Bannon was then in Paris, lending his support to the extreme right anti-EU election campaign. (to be continued)
Minsk vows proportional response to Baltic countries’ sanctions BNS, ERR, September 2020
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LAAS LEIVAT
