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EESTI ELU reedel, 21. veebruaril 2020 — Friday, February 21, 2020
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Riigikogu passes statement condemning Russian ‘falsification of history ERR News, February 2020 Recently the Riigikogu passed the Statement of the Riigi English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly kogu “On Historical Memory “EESTI ELU” and Falsification of History”, Tartu College Publications submitted by 73 members of Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld the Parliament. Editor: Laas Leivat The statement “condemns 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 the attempts of the authorities T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca of the Russian Federation at re writing history, denying the role of the Soviet Union as one of the main initiators of World War II and laying the blame on the victims of the aggression”. It also “underlines that World Trump’s accusations that Department of Justice and else War II became possible as the Ukraine was responsible for where, Global warming, Hurri direct outcome of the Treaty of helping his opponent in the cane Maria death toll, Trump Non-aggression between the 2016 elections can be traced Tower wire-tapping, Uranium National Socialist Germany and to some Ukrainians, but not One, voter fraud, that Hilary the Soviet Union, or the Molo to the type of organized elec- and Bill Clinton assassinated at tov-Ribbentrop Pact, and its tion interference that the U.S. leads 50 people, that Obama, secret protocols, signed on 23 president alleges. Hilary Clinton and George August 1939”. Many Ukrainians were deep Soros were planning a coup It also calls on the govern ly betrayed by Trump’s public d’etat, that thousands of never- ment to support the preservation acceptance of Russia’s an Trumpers have been illegally of “authentic historical memory nexation of Crimea. They were plotting to get rid of him, that both in Estonia and in the also apprehensive about Paul Obama placed a spy in Trumps’ whole world” and reiterated Manafort’s relationship with campaign etc. Nazi Germany and the Soviet pro-Russian Ukrainian govern Despite having at his disposal Union “are guilty of mass mur ment officials. In fact they the most authoritative informa ders of unprecedented extent in knew that Manafort had made tion possible, these and many human history”. millions from lobbying for other conspiracy theories have 72 members of the Riigikogu Ukraine not to be accepted into been repeated by Trump in the voted in favour of the Statement NATO and the EU. social media. He would rather (140 AE) and one member was The anti-Trump sentiment in rely on dubious, widely dis against. Ukraine was not directed by credited sources for personal Mihhail Lotman (Isamaa), any group or official establish orientation and political direc Helle-Moonika Helme (Esto ment. It did not match the full- tion. Thus his attack on profes nian Conservative People’s blown, systematic, aggressive sionalism, trusted expertise and Party) and Jaak Juske (Social attack to influence the elections simple logic is said to be Democratic Party) took the launched by Moscow and con Trump’s need for self-approval floor during the debate. and admiration. He lacks the trolled by Putin. The full Statement reads: The Kremlin saw the scattered ability to handle a wide spec “Condemning the Molotovanti-Trump feelings in Ukraine trum of facts and must zero in Ribbentrop Pact together with as something to exploit. Thus it on information that is consistent its secret protocols, and the sub was easy to concoct an elabo with his own pre-conceptions. sequent occupation of the Baltic rate story which could be fed to He must be comforted by what States and the division Poland a fertile field of believers – he hears and facts not in tune between two totalitarian regimes, Trump, who fumed at reminders with his biases simply don’t which was a major precondition of the 3,000,000 Clinton votes make him feel better about for the breakout of World War above his total, Trump’s syco himself. He has often trumpeted II; phants and ultra-right media. that he has nothing to learn Having regard to the Reso The theories are usually fed from anyone else – he his a lution of the Congress of trough businessmen, oligarchs, genius. People’s Deputies of the Soviet networks of intermediaries. Trump’s acolytes, basking in Union of 24 December 1989, In spite of Trump declaring his praise of them, join in the which condemned the Molotovpublicly that he believed Putin’s conspiracy-mongering enthu Ribbentrop Pact and its secret denials of interfering in the siastically. This cannot be tri protocols, and declared the se 2016 elections. some say that vialized because once the idea cret protocols to be null and Trump may actually secretly has grabbed hold in the public void and invalid from the agree with all of the US intelli mind it gains momentum and moment they were signed; gence services’ proof that the generates genuine effects. It Recalling the Statement of Kremlin was involved. But his does influence, be the theory the Riigikogu of 14 February coziness with Putin – the real or not. Truth is shoved 2012, which condemned the re latter’s possible inexplicable aside, even when the conspiracy pressive politics of the Soviet hold on him – compels him to is de-bunked. Union and National Socialist state otherwise. Victims of spurious conspira Germany, and the activities of Putin is probably basking in cy theories in the US – univer the persons who have commit his success with this conspiracy sities, law enforcement, intelli ted crimes against humanity in theory, finding the perfect patsy, gence agencies, universities, the service of these regimes; the US President, to give his news media, painstakingly Recalling the European Par stamp of approval to it. non-partisan organizations – are liament Resolution of 19 Sep Ukrainians are fighting for the all central to a democratic tember 2019, in which the s ociety. They are all fact-find territorial integrity of their importance of European re country. Any erosion of support ing institutions that have been membrance for the future of for their struggle, which the US labelled untrustworthy, not- Europe is emphasised; far right, encouraged by Trump, believable, motivated by anti(Continued on page 16) is willing to compound, em Trumpism, even traitorous. boldens Russia even further. These attacks play directly The US President has been into Russia’s hand. Conspiracy an active promoter of various theory aficionados should be porters often serve. During the conspiracy theories: Obama’s made aware of whose interest Trump era, this is easily said birthplace, Deep State in the the US president and his sup than done. LAAS LEIVAT
From disinformation to conspiracy theory: A troubling genesis (II)
With the Peace Treaty of Tartu’s 100th anniversary on February 2nd, Estonia Studies Centre marked the occasion with a lecture by Prof. Andres Kasekamp. His presentation attracted a full house who learnt relevant facts and but got also fresh obser vations, not always part of the historical narrative. Kasekamp not only managed to convey the substance of the treaty as a primary milestone in Estonia’s birth but also its relevancy today, touching on Estonia’s relations with Russia. Piret Noorhani, the Estonian Studies Centre curator introduced Kasekamp and chaired the discussion.
Estonia ready for Putin’s possible arrival for Finno-Ugric congress ERR, February 2020 If Russian President Vladimir Putin attends this summer’s Finno-Ugric world congress in Estonia, organizers and the police have said they will be ready. However, Putin has not yet confirmed if he will attend. The VIII World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples will take place in June in the south ern city of Tartu at the Estonian National Museum. The event will bring together communities whose languages stem from Finno-Ugric and are found in Estonia, Finland, Russia and Hungary. The congress takes place every four years. On Monday, Anne-Ly Reimaa, head of International Relations in Integration at the Ministry of Culture, said: “We have no information yet on whether President Putin is plan ning to attend the event. We have asked the Russian Em bassy, but they do not know.” However, she said the orga nizers of the congress and the Police and Border Guard (PPA) have already prepared for Putin’s arrival at the event. Veiko Järva, the head of Tartu Police Department, con firmed the PPA has been preparing for some time to ensure the safety of heads of state, other guests and local residents visiting the congress. “The police are ready to deploy additional forces from other units in South Estonia in the case of the world congress and the heads of states visits if necessary. We are working with the congress organizers and other partners to do this. The PPA’s past experience in secur ing high-level visits has shown that thorough preparation and cooperation at the local level for these type of police opera tions yield the best results,”
Järva said. While it is not know if Putin will attend the conference, it is known that the presidents of other Finno-Ugric countries – Estonia, Finland and Hungary – will be at the opening of the conference. They will also already be visiting Estonia for the Three Seas Initiative Sum mit, which will be at the same time in Tallinn. The last Russian president to attend the congress was Dmitry Medvedev at the congress in Khanty-Mansiysk in 2008. President Kersti Kaljulaid invited Putin to the world con gress last year in April when she met him during an official visit in Moscow. Her office sent official invitations to heads of states last October. The congress is a forum of Finno-Ugric peoples, indepen dent governments and political parties and based on the Declaration of Cooperation of Finno-Ugric Peoples of the World. The objectives of the congress are to develop and protect the Finno-Ugric peoples’ national awareness, cultures and languages, to promote co- operation between the FinnoUgric peoples, to address cur rent problems, to find solutions and to exercise the right of self-determination of all FinnoUgric peoples. The first World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples was held in Syktyvkar in the Komi Region in 1992, after which it has been organized every four years by Hungary, Finland, Estonia and Russia. The last congress in Estonia took place in 2004 in Tallinn. The congress has a budget of €270,000 and is funded by the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and Research, Enterprise Estonia and the City of Tartu.
