- “Shady dealings at Swedbank Estonia worth €180 million | Swedbank accounts in the Baltics have received money from virtually every company mentioned by Bill Browder’s infamous report of criminal conduct for Danske Estonia.” - See Friday and Wednesday lists
- “The actions of the U.S. are getting a lot of people worried and they’re thinking, well, what do we do? Do we go it alone?’’ Toomas Hendrik Ilves
- “Let’s take Poland up on its offer to build a Fort Trump, position heavy forces in that hearty pillar of the West, close our other European bases, and cooperate with the Baltics to ensure they can deter any future Russian attempts at the hybrid warfare Moscow used successfully in Georgia and Ukraine. That will be a better defense than underwriting the mendacious cheapskates of NATO and Old Europe, most of whom disdain us.” Christian Whiton
- “At last week’s Munich Security Conference, the prevailing sentiment among our closest allies is that the United States can no longer be counted on to champion liberal democracy or defend the world order we built.” Adam B. Schiff, chairman of the Intelligence Committee
Rebane foto:
Friday
22. February 2019
Shady dealings at Swedbank Estonia worth €180 million
(Postimees | others)
“Bank statements at Postimees’ disposal point to over a thousand suspicious transfers to Swedbank accounts of Estonian firms. They concern some 15 companies that have pursued 180 million euros worth of transactions with foreign shell companies. …”
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“Swedbank accounts in the Baltics have received money from virtually every company mentioned by Bill Browder’s infamous report of criminal conduct for Danske Estonia, including Jackwell LLP, Unitronic LLP and Everfront Sales LLP.”
“Bill Browder to file Swedbank criminal complaint with Swedish authorities.”
https://news.err.ee/913184/bill-browder-to-file-swedbank-criminal-complaint-with-swedish-authorities
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“Swedbank brings in help on money laundering revelations.”
“PM backs financial regulator, says no place for money laundering in Estonia.”
“The Bank of Lithuania will provide assistance to the Swedish and Estonian financial supervisory authorities in the investigation of recent information regarding alleged money laundering transactions linked with the Swedbank group.”
Europe's Immense Security Challenges in the Age of Trump
(Spiegel)
“The trans-Atlantic alliance has been significantly weakened, forcing Europe to build up its own security structures without inflicting even more damage on NATO.”
Opinion: Dump NATO
(National Interest - 12. Feb.)
“Let’s take Poland up on its offer to build a Fort Trump, position heavy forces in that hearty pillar of the West, close our other European bases, and cooperate with the Baltics to ensure they can deter any future Russian attempts at the hybrid warfare Moscow used successfully in Georgia and Ukraine. That will be a better defense than underwriting the mendacious cheapskates of NATO and Old Europe, most of whom disdain us.”
Estonia opens new briefing centre to showcase e-state solutions
(Emerging Europe)
“Our e-solutions have made Estonia an honest, transparent and efficient country,” said Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid at the centre’s opening.”
Security services academy gets new home
(ERR)
“Facilities include a library, a 230-seat auditorium, an indoor shooting range, prison simulation environment, and other study-specific speciality rooms, it is reported.”
Russians Deeply Divided on What if Anything Putin’s Speech Means and Portends
by Paul Goble - Window on Eurasia
“If Vladimir Putin intended to deliver a clear and unambiguous message to Russians and the world with his speech to the Federal Assembly earlier this week, he failed utterly with Russians giving a thumbs’ down on the speech on Facebook and commentators offering almost as many interpretations as there are commentators.”
Transcript of Putin’s address
Thursday
21. February 2019
Estonians Kick Off Online Voting for March Election
(VOA)
Estonial uppunute omaste kaebus jõuab aprillis Pariisi kohtusse
(ERR)
“Kirjas teatas ohvreid esindav advokaadibüroo Schmill&Lombrez, et kohtu president määras istungid Nanterre' tsiviilkohtus kahele päevale, 12. ja 15. aprilllile 2019. Istung toimub prantsuse keeles ja tõlkevõimalus büroo kinnitusel puudub. Protsess on kestnud juba 22 aastat, mille sisuks on Estonia protsessi ühingu ühishagi parvlaeva Estonia ehitanud laevaehitusettevõtte Meyer Werft ja laeva klassifitseerija Bureau Veritas vastu.”
Läti minister: Rail Balticu rajamine on ajagraafikust maas
(ERR)
“Tema sõnul lükkub Rail Balticu valmimine edasi vähemalt kaks ja pool aastat ja läheb ka oluliselt kallimaks.”
Rail Baltica delayed for at least two years
(Latvian Broadcasting)
“… and it is clear that the track will not be built in its entirety by 2026. … there's a big chance that construction works planned for 2020 will not start at that time”
Rear Adm Stephen C. Evans, commander of the US Navy's Carrier Strike Group 2 met with key leaders in Estonia
(ERR)
New publication from NATO's Rīga StratCom center on cyber threats
(Latvian Broadcasting)
“Responding to Cognitive Security Challenges” identifies most critical security challenges in online environment and determines the role of governments in countering them.”
European Parliament’s watershed moment
(Politico)
“Once a mere consultative body, the much-mocked, often-forgotten sibling of the European family has spent the last five years flexing newly discovered muscles.”
Opinion: Putin, A Mastermind of Disruption
by Mark Galeotti - Newsweek
“We should not try to predict Russian strategy based purely on Putin himself …”
St. Petersburg’s Dam Is Holding Back the Floods
(Moscow Times)
“In the cold, gray waters of the Gulf of Finland, 30 kilometers west of St. Petersburg, a giant wall juts across the bay. Completed seven years ago, it protects the city from an age-old danger …”
“A total of more than 270 large-scale floods have been recorded since the city was founded in 1703 … ”
Wednesday
20. February 2019
Nordic countries should establish new kind of union
(Baltic Times)
“Estonia is one of the countries of the Nordic region that should establish a union of a new kind and serve as a modern champion of ties in relations with the United States, a report by the Nordic West Office think tank whose compilation was led by former Estonian president Toomas Hendrik Ilves suggests. According to the report, the classical Nordic countries, which apart from Scandinavian nations and Iceland would include Estonia, should start building bridges between the countries of the West that tend to be prone to crumbling at present.”
“First of all, we need to change the concept of the Nordics; it is time to open up. The New Nordics consist of the Nordic Five – Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden – and Estonia. The inclusion of Estonia is only the first step. The New Nordics are joined by shared values and strong cultural linkages, but also by international policy goals.”
—
President Ilves: millal oli parem kui praegu, kas Lembitu ajal?
(ERR)
Estonia Orders Danske Bank Out After Money-Laundering Scandal
(Baltic Times | New York Times)
“Regulators in Estonia have ordered Danske Bank to leave the country within eight months, arguing that the Danish bank’s $230 billion money-laundering scandal had tarnished the reputation of Estonia’s financial market.”
—
Bank of Estonia: Departure of Danske from Estonia will not significantly affect the Estonian economy
(Baltic Course)
“… it was prohibited on Tuesday from operating in Estonia for violating anti-money laundering rules.”
—
Swedbanki juht: see on olnud dramaatiline päev
(ERR | Delfi)
“… kuna neil pole kogu infot, millele tuginedes Rootsi telekanal SVT oma kajastused tegi, on neil keeruline ka midagi spetsiifilisemalt kommenteerida.”
—
Money laundering connected with Danske suspected at Swedbank
(Postimees | ERR)
“… at least 40 billion Swedish kronor or some 3.8 billion euros moved between Swedbank and the Baltic units of Danske Bank. … Companies operating abroad had accounts at Swedbank's subsidiaries in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The Estonian daily Postimees has information about the connection of over 10 Estonian customers of Swedbank with the suspicious cash flows.”
—
8 Top Lithuanian judges arrested in anti-corruption crackdown
(Politico-Europe | Reuters)
“Lithuania arrested 26 people Wednesday, including eight top judges and five lawyers, in an anti-corruption crackdown that Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis said calls time on the "untouchables."
—
‘Vory v zakone’: How ‘the Russian mafia’ came to be
(Meduza)
“The title of vor v zakone and all its associated nuances were an invention of the Soviet prison camps of the 1930s. As a result, the specific traditions that are still attached to that title today exist only in the criminal underground of the post-Soviet world. That said, post-Soviet criminal figures can live and pursue their illegal careers from within the borders of any country.”
Russia Expands UAV Offensive Capability
(Jamestown)
“Recent appearances of experimental UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) and those displayed at arms shows indicate a surge in design activity around offensive lethal UAV systems.”
Putin pidas rahvasaadikute ees traditsioonilise aastakõne
(ERR)
“Venemaa president Vladimir Putin pidas kolmapäeval oma iga-aastase kõne olukorrast riigis ajal, mil tema toetusnumbrid on rekordlanguses. Kõne keskendus suures osas siseriiklikele küsimustele ja lubadustele venemaalaste elujärge parandada. Samas hoiatas ta USA-d Venemaa "tulevaste relvade ulatuse ja kiiruse" asjus.”
The State Of The Nation And Its Missiles
(RFERL)
Putin's 2019 State of the Nation address
(Meduza)
English Transcript:
“Putin’s Plan to Double Down on Venezuela, Syria and Ukraine Could Be Sending Russia Into Bankruptcy.”
Tuesday
19. February 2019
Raport: Põhjala riigid peaksid moodustama uutmoodi liidu
(ERR)
“Eesti kuulub Põhjala riikide hulka, kes peaksid moodustama uutmoodi liidu ja olema moodne ühenduse hoidja suhetes USA-ga. Sellisele järeldusele jõudis mõttekoda Nordic West Office oma raportis, mille koostamist juhtis president Toomas Hendrik Ilves.”
Financial Supervision Authority issues precept to Danske Bank to stop operating in Estonia
(Postimees)
“The bank must cease its activities in Estonia within eight months from receipt of the precept … Nothing changes at this moment for customers of Danske Bank's Estonia branch, and all customer contracts continue to be in force. …”
Ukraine President Signs Constitutional Amendment On NATO, EU Membership
(RFERL)
“Addressing parliament on February 19, Poroshenko said he saw securing Ukraine's membership in NATO and the EU as his "strategic mission."
Report from the UK: Disinformation and ‘fake news’
(UK Parliament)
“This is the Final Report in an inquiry on disinformation that has spanned over 18 months … We have used the powers of the Committee system, by ordering people to give evidence and by obtaining documents sealed in another country’s legal system. We invited democratically-elected representatives from eight countries to join our Committee in the UK to create an ‘International Grand Committee’, the first of its kind, to promote further cross-border co-operation in tackling the spread of disinformation …”
PDF:
It is Time for Germans to Talk About Sicherheitspolitik
(War on the Rocks)
“Despite the worsening of Germany’s security environment, Germans want their country to be a kind of big Switzerland — not a shaper of international politics.” Why? Because “Germany still lacks a genuine, public strategic debate.”
[Sicherheitspolitik = security policy]
Russian Duma Bans Military Personnel From Using Smartphones, Tablets
(RFERL | Foreign Policy)
“… only regular phones with no cameras and without an Internet connection are now allowed in the Russian armed forces. The bill also bans military personnel from sharing information online about their military units, missions, services, colleagues, former colleagues, and their relatives.”
“Russian soldiers are millennials for the most part. They love social media. They aren’t going to give it up entirely,” said Kirill Mikhailov, a researcher with Conflict Intelligence Team, which has published reports on Russian troop activities in Ukraine and Syria. Mikhailov added that he has heard reports lately about Russian troops carrying two phones—one to turn in to their commanders and a second to keep for themselves.”
Monday
18. February 2019
Kristi Raik: USA aitab praeguse maailmakorra murenemisele kaasa
(ERR)
"Ma ütleks, et kogu Euroopa välispoliitiline debatt on praegu sellises seisus, et seal on üksjagu nostalgiat, idealismi, püütakse kinni hoida maailmakorrast, mis meil on tegelikult käest ära libisemas ja laiali lagunemas. Räägitakse väga palju multilateralismist ja rahvusvahelistest institutsioonidest, koostööst, reeglitepõhisest rahvusvahelisest suhtlusest. Aga tegelikult see kõik on järjest nõrgenemas.”
Estonia: Europe’s tech hotspot
(Various sources)
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Latvia to host new NATO HQ
(Emerging Europe)
“Estonia, Latvia and Denmark have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a new headquarters for NATO’s Multinational Division North, which will serve as basis for the functioning of the alliance’s new international division.”
Opinion: Trump Can’t Drive Europe Into Russia's Arms
by Leonid Bershidsky
(The Moscow Times)
“Despite European officials’ determination to preserve what’s left of the U.S.-led liberal world order, the cracks in the transatlantic alliance are obvious. They were one of the themes of the Munich conference and they showed in the prolonged silence Pence faced when he conveyed greetings from Trump, expecting applause in response. …”
Russia to China: Together we can rule the world
(Politico-Europe)
“Only Europe can prevent an Eastern bloc.”
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