The current parliamentary elections campaign has reminded me of Edward Lucas’ (International Editor of The Economist) article that appeared on December 10, 2009 in the daily, Eesti Päevaleht, titled „The new Estonian story: without good news?“It’s quite true that we haven’t had good news. According to an observation the financier Indrek Neivelt made last fall, Estonia’s GDP is back at 2005-2006 level and only the size of the debt is significantly larger. Inequality has increased, especially in wages; the country has the largest gender wage gap in the European Union. Even the adoption of the euro at the beginning of this year was greeted internationally in the context of eurozone’s financial crisis and the pessimistic predictions about its end. Why do we have such a situation? The reason is that the result of the neo-liberal policies has been a plutocracy, and if the politics in the country do not change, we cannot expect good news from Estonia for some time.
I agree with businessman Hans Luik’s observation that it’s been evident already for some time that an elite group has developed in the country. It has wedged itself into the top, gathering the economic arteries under its control, and it does not want new arrivals into its space. That is plutocracy. Part of its politics is the prevention of the development characteristic to a democratic society - a robust opposition - and we have witnessed destructive internal rifts in the political parties out of power.
The parliamentary elections campaign had its opening act before Christmas when the government’s coalition (Reform and IRL parties) accused the Chairman of Centrist Party of having asked money from Russia for his party and they demanded for the Estonian Security Police (ESP) to make this information public. Thus a governmental institution was dragged into politics (considered an abuse of power in law abiding states) when ESP posted the declassified document on its website. According to the daily Postimees Online (Dec. 21, 2010) „The President of the Russian Railroad, Vladimir Yakunin, promised to give Edgar Savisaar, the Chairman of Centrist Party and the Mayor Tallinn, and to Deniss Boroditsch, the Deputy Mayor of Tallinn, 1.5 million euros for the support of Centrist Party’s election campaign.“
After that, the picture became confused and muddied. Terms like „country’s traitor“, „influence agent“, „criminal charges“ were thrown around, and a „truth committee“ was established. Both the Prime Minister and the President practically lectured the public on ethics and democracy, despite both of them having skeletons in their closet and pursuing policies to protect plutocracy.
It cannot be said that I favor or protect the political party under verbal assault. I am an unaffiliated democrat of long standing. It’s just that following the events in Estonia as a political scientist, certain questions come up. In this case, I ask myself: why has a frenzied activity erupted in the media about Edgar Savisaar when, for example, in the spring of 2010 the disclosure of Toomas Sildam’s KGB past did not create equal clamor? Sildam is not a man on the street, but the public relations adviser to the President of the Republic, which means that he has access to information concerning state security. Does the KGB have „former“?
The above disclosure led to a request sent to Peeter Ernits, a well-known journalist at the weekly Maaleht, for a discussion of this matter in the media to which Ernits replied: „Estonians have become so thick-skinned that, unfortunately, nothing surprises them any more.“ Apparently it is so, because the scandal involving MP Jaanus Rahumägi’s hidden wealth and unknown money sources has not prevented his Reform Party from running him for re-election. About the only objection heard so far has been the warning that should he be returned to the parliament, he no longer can chair the ESP Committee which has access to state classified documents.
Several days ago the public learned that Eerik-Niiles Kross is Green Party’s candidate for the parliament. When one considers Mr. Kross’ past illegal and unethical activities, it is quite clear that the powers that be think nothing surprises Estonians any more. He plans to be elected and even appointed the Minister of the Interior.
Due to scandals not associated with Centrist Party being treated lightly by the media, it can be deduced that the furor surrounding Edgar Savisaar is part of the election campaign, especially when considering that the serious accusations leveled against him have not been verified and the explanations offered by the head of state are not convincing.
Constructive criticism not only requires looking at problems and deficiencies, but also recommendations for solutions. How our society could develop from a plutocracy into a democracy is a complicated matter which has to be addressed separately.
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