- “We are living at a moment in history when democratic values are under threat by authoritarian leaders. The internet, which holds such promise as a democratizing force, has been co-opted by people peddling divisive, hateful ideologies. Citizens around the world who want to speak out are under siege from their own governments.”
- Michael Slackman, New York Times
- “Journalists critical of the Conservative People’s Party (EKRE) Ahto Lobjakas and Vilja Kiisler have been hit by a wave of threats and their bosses an avalanche of orchestrated complaints. How did it come to heads of two media houses losing their nerve, journalists leaving their publications and the EKRE wing scoring a point?”
- “Mart Helme … hit out against journalists, saying, “we just point out that too many journalists are not journalists, but propagandists, who have chosen a side and are attacking a party they don’t like – the EKRE. They shouldn’t think the propaganda war can endlessly carry on. We’re already seeing how their knees are going soft.” … Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid displayed visible support for press freedom on April 29 by wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the phrase Sõna on vaba, which translates as: ”words are free”.
__________
Friday 3. May
__________
Estonia: Why the far-right in power is the best case scenario for the Kremlin
(Open Democracy)
“The Kremlin’s perspective: There are at least three reasons and related scenarios why the inclusion of EKRE in Estonia’s governing coalition represents a political and geopolitical advantage for the Kremlin, both with respect to the Estonian domestic context and Europe more broadly.”
—
“First, … will increase the sense of exclusion and alienation of many Russian speakers, who previously supported Ratas’ Centre party.”
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“Second, the potentially diminished international credibility of Estonia … is likely to make the country more marginal in the EU.”
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“Third, EKRE’s recently formalised intention to join the far-right European Alliance of Peoples and Nation … These parties have consistently advocated for a more Russia-friendly approach, including the removal of the sanctions against Moscow, and appeasement when it comes to Crimea both at home and at the EU level.”
The Other Estonian Language: Preserving And Promoting Võro
(Deep Baltic)
“South Estonian has historically been divided into the Tartu, Mulgi and Võro dialects – of these, the only one to retain a significant number of native speakers (tens of thousands) is Võro, spoken principally in Võru and Põlva counties in south-eastern Estonia.”
New US European Command leader will take over amid NATO worries
(Military Times)
“In ceremonies in Germany on Thursday and in Belgium on Friday, Air Force Gen. Tod Wolters will take over for Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti in the dual roles of NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe and head of U.S. European Command.”
Toivo Asmer tahab Eestisse tuua miljardieurose metanoolitehase
(Postimees)
“Šveitsi päritolu tööstuskontsern tahab Paldiskisse ehitada Euroopa suurima metanoolitehase, mille hind ulatub miljardi euroni.”
Eesti õhuruumil hoiavad silma peal üheksa Briti helikopterit
(Postimees)
“Aprilli keskel maandusid Ämari lennubaasis Ühendkuningriigi maaväe viis helikopterit AH-64 Apache ja neli mitmeotstarbelist kopterit AW159 Wildcat. Seda selleks, et tugevdada liitlaste kohalolu ja teha järgneva kolme kuu jooksul koostööd kaitseväe ja liitlasüksustega.”
Suur eurovalimiste graafik: Eestist pürib püünele 66 kandidaati
(Postimees)
“27. mail südaööl selguvad seitsme Eestist valitud Euroopa Parlamendi saadiku nimed, praeguse seisuga saavad oma parlamendikohas kindlad olla kuus esimest.”
The Soviets’ Unbreakable Code
(Foreign Policy)
“The hidden history of the Fialka espionage machine.”
__________
Eesti Poliitika
__________
International concern as far-right Estonian cabinet ministers make ‘white power salute’ on first day
(Independent)
“The far-right EKRE party was brought into government by a centrist party in exchange for support.”
Ratase uus valitsus andis oma esimese pressikonverentsi
(Postimees)
“Täna toimus uue valitsuse esimene istung, mille järel andsid pressikonverentsi peaminister Jüri Ratas, siseminister Mart Helme ning välisminister Urmas Reinsalu.”
Mart Helme Insults President Kaljulaid
(International Media)
“… for walking out during the swearing-in of a Cabinet minister accused of domestic violence.” [Good for her, BTW.]
—
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More:
__________
Thursday
2. May
__________
Press freedom at risk in Estonia
(Emerging Europe)
“Mart Helme … hit out against journalists, saying, “we just point out that too many journalists are not journalists, but propagandists, who have chosen a side and are attacking a party they don’t like – the EKRE. They shouldn’t think the propaganda war can endlessly carry on. We’re already seeing how their knees are going soft.”
Meediavabaduse raport hoiatab Eestis meediaomanike eest
(Postimees)
“Eesti on sel aastal tõusnud 11. kohale, kuid kriitikat jagub raportis nii meediaomanikele kui ka vene ajakirjanike vähesele kaasatusele.”
Ukraine’s new president and Russian relations
(ASPI)
“Alexander Motyl, a professor of political science at Rutgers University in New Jersey, has suggested that Zelensky let his television alter ego do his campaigning for him and that Ukrainians don’t know enough about the new president’s real policies.”
—
“Motyl has also suggested that Zelensky’s approach could ultimately benefit Russia. Others claim that Russia is gearing up to deal with Ukraine under Zelensky. This has produced fears in some quarters that a Zelensky presidency could lead to Ukraine’s capitulating to Russia. However, both sides have red lines that they’re committed to, so we shouldn’t expect peace anytime soon. But given that Zelensky is a complete political novice, Russia will test him with offers, aggression and everything in between to measure his resolve.”
Ukraine’s New First Lady Is Serious, Just Like Her Husband
(The Daily Beast)
“Ukraine’s new first lady, Olena Zelenska, cracks jokes for a living. Until a week ago, she was a professional scriptwriter on her husband's comedy show. Now it's time to become, well, not only serious but "passionate about democracy.”
Putin Says He May Expand Russian Citizenship Decree To Include All Ukrainians
(RFERL)
“The remark, made by Putin on April 27 at a summit in Beijing, is likely to further inflame tensions with Kyiv, and with the incoming administration of President-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy.”
Immigration Collapse Undermines Kremlin Hopes to Recover Russia’s Dominance in Former Soviet Space
by Paul Goble - Jamestown Org
“The Kremlin is losing the most important “weapon” in its campaign to restore a semblance of Moscow’s former empire in the post-Soviet space. According to Russian commentator Semyon Novoprudky, that weapon is the economic dependence of many post-Soviet countries on the Russian labor market …”
Into the Maze: Three ways things could go wrong for Europe
(Berlin Policy Journal)
“The chaotic Brexit saga suggests that states in Europe are no longer able to settle their differences in a constructive manner. The 2019 European elections have already been marked by a renaissance of sovereignist rhetoric. Pro-European politicians are at odds with each other regarding the required EU reform agenda. Can integration thrive in an atmosphere of conflict and chaos? Can the EU prosper in a new era of national pride and glory? How many crises can the EU digest before losing its mission and purpose? And most crucially, is Europe disintegrating?”
__________
Wednesday
1. May
__________
Estonia joins the far-right club
(Politico-Europe)
“In the weeks following EKRE’s election win, Estonia’s political establishment called for “civility” and for the party to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric critics warned was corroding political discourse and promoting nativism.”
—
“EKRE’s rise has taken the country’s political establishment by surprise. Founded in 2012, it was the result of a merger between a nationalist party led by Helme and an agrarian center-right party to which his father once belonged. Three years later, it snatched seven seats on the back of discontent among Estonia’s predominantly socially conservative society after the government passed a law allowing same-sex couples to register partnerships.”
 |
| EKRE-affiliated youth movement "Blue Awakening" holds its annual march on Independence Day, 2018 CC BY-SA 4.0 DJ Sturm / Wikipedia |
Estonia Ministers’ Gesture Raises Fears of Support for White Supremacy
(New York Times)
“When Martin and Mart Helme were sworn in as lawmakers in the Estonian Parliament this week, they accompanied their broad grins with a gesture — making a circle with the thumb and index finger and holding the other three fingers outstretched. To some, that would register as the fairly anodyne, universal signal for “O.K.” — understandable, given the celebratory mood. But to others, the signs represented something much more sinister.”
--
“The appropriation of the “O.K.” gesture by white supremacists seems to have started in the United States. Organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League have linked it to a campaign by members of the anonymous online message board 4chan.”
Marti Kuusik, minister of foreign trade and IT, resigned the next day over accusations of domestic violence
(BBC)
“A tumultuous first week for the new Estonian government has resulted in the resignation of a right-wing minister after just a day in office.”
Nationalist party enters Estonia’s government
(Washington Post)
“The father-and-son leaders of a divisive anti-immigrant party were sworn in Monday as Estonia’s interior and finance minister. Prime Minister Jüri Ratas presented his 15-member coalition Cabinet on Monday at the 101-seat Riigikogu assembly located in the picturesque Old Town of Estonia’s capital, Tallinn. Earlier this month, Ratas, leader of the left-leaning Center Party, clinched a surprise deal with the nationalist and euroskeptic Estonian Conservative People’s Party, or EKRE, as well as with the conservative Fatherland, to create a majority coalition.”
The New Age of Propaganda: Understanding Influence Operations in the Digital Age
(War on the Rocks)
“Influence operations in the digital age are not merely propaganda with new tools. They represent an evolved form of manipulation that presents actors with endless possibilities — both benign and malignant. While the origins of this new form are semi-accidental, it has nonetheless opened up opportunities for the manipulation and exploitation of human beings that were previously inaccessible. Now conducted across the whole of society, we are only at the beginning of a new era of population-centric competition.”
Seven Telling Statistics from Russia
by Paul Goble
“Often statistics have to be analyzed to make a point. But sometimes they are so telling that no further explication is needed.”
Vlad the conqueror
(FDD)
“Vladimir Putin wants to make Russia great again. He defines great as powerful, nothing more, nothing less. If you keep that in mind, everything he does makes perfect sense.”
__________
Tuesday
30. April
__________
Russian intelligence operations shifting tactics not goals
(NATO Review)
“Russia’s intelligence services – well-funded, aggressive and politically protected – remain at the heart of Moscow’s wider political war against the West, intended to disrupt, distract, and demoralise. Although many different instruments are used, from disinformation and corruption to diplomacy to economic pressure, the intelligence services are committed to not just gathering information but active operations, and thus they play a crucial role in their use. …”
A Different Game
(Berlin Policy Journal)
“In the run-up to the European elections, much attention has been
paid to the noisy populist far right. However, centrist forces are likely to continue their dominance of European politics.”
EU: Hungary Is Lost
(Zeit)
“Viktor Orbán is destroying Hungary's democracy. The institutions, the legal system and the social fabric are nothing but a pile of rubble. And the EU let it happen.”
States of Europe, Unite!
(Berlin Policy Journal)
“Today’s European Union is profoundly dysfunctional. Power is neither located in Brussels nor the capitals. …”
Europe’s Fifteenth Big Bang Enlargement Birthday
(Carnegie Europe)
“Eight countries from the Baltics and Central and Eastern Europe—which for decades had been under the Soviet yoke—joined the EU along with Cyprus and Malta on May 1, 2004, ending most of the divisions of post-1945 Europe.”
—
“It’s easy to wax nostalgic about those times. But the excitement about being part of the European project was genuine. Now, as the 28-member bloc prepares for elections to the European Parliament, the idea of Europe’s direction is being challenged by the increasing number of populist movements across the continent.”
__________
Monday
29. April
__________
Kas Ahto Lobjakas vallandati Raadio 2 saatejuhi kohalt?
(Õhtuleht)
“Õhtulehe andmetel vallandati Raadio 2 saatejuht Ahto Lobjakas oma kohalt rahvusringhäälingust, kuid raadiojaama peatoimetaja eitab vallandamist.”
Ahto Lobjakas: I was given a choice between self-censorship and leaving
(Postimees)
The Split in Russia’s Civil Society
(Carnegie Moscow)
“Until recently, the Kremlin had mostly been challenged domestically by political activists inspired by anti-corruption crusader Alexei Navalny’s campaign. Now another challenge is unexpectedly looming on the horizon. A growing part of society is developing civic consciousness as a result of nonpolitical conflicts in which entities supported by the authorities intrude into ordinary people’s private space.”
Austerity-Battered U.K. ‘Retreating Behind a Nuclear Shield’
(New York Times)
“On NATO’s border with Russia, soldiers with Britain’s Yorkshire Regiment recently joined Estonians in a celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Navy’s critical intervention in the country’s battle for independence against the Bolsheviks. … To all appearances, it was a stirring reminder of Britain’s commitment to European defense, Brexit or no Brexit.”
—
“But the battalion, based in Estonia as a critical part of NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014, is the polished surface of a hollow shell — a British military that has been badly damaged by austerity and political choices that have consistently favored symbol over substance in a struggle to remain a global power.”
Europe’s junk brought to Estonia
(Postimees)
“Estonia has become the junkyard of the European car market – too often do we see cars at the end of their rope the odometers of which have been tampered with soiling our market and polluting our environment, says Arno Sillat, head of the Estonian Vehicle Dealers and Services Association.”
America Must Stand with Ukraine Against Russia
(National Interest)
“The free and fair election in Ukraine of new President-elect Volodymyr Zelensky reflects a positive step for Ukraine’s democratic future, but the same challenges from Russia remain. There is still the looming cloud of Ukraine’s active military conflict with Vladimir Putin’s Russia, as well as ongoing efforts by the Kremlin to sow discord and chaos through sophisticated disinformation and propaganda campaigns against the Ukrainian government and society.”
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