The new week began with a déjà vu. As if we had gone ten years back in time. At a time when the word combination - Šlesers and Šķēle - in the introductory part of "TV Panorāma" were as common as "variable clouds" at the end of the show - during the weather segment.
Once again, the forever popular theme of the "oligarchs" is on the political agenda. The New Conservative Party (Jaunā konservatīvā partija, JKP) has already released a pre-election video talking about the 3A (the three main "oligarchs" - Aivars Lembergs, Andris Šķēle and Ainārs Šlesers) and an accompanying text - Lembergs is already in prison, and the other two canonized "oligarchs" should also be put there. The actualization of the topic could become the rocket launcher, which, in the minds of the campaign organizers, will be able to raise the crumbling party to political heights again.
It is not just in Russia, that the Great Patriotic War is becoming more relevant every year. It is not just the United States that is unable to end the civil war and "liberate" black people. There is nothing more engaging in our political life than the "fight against the oligarchs". Some corruption researchers may try to draw the public's attention to some of today's most influential characters, but their reveals are of no interest to anyone. I mean, who is interested in Martinsons, the Taureņi sauna conversations, the bribes of the long-term Governor of the Bank of Latvia Rimšēvičs? Even Jaunups and Meroni are not able to arouse any lasting interest. Now 3A, that's a different matter. No matter how exciting are the events that take place at the volleyball championship, it will never attract as much interest as the World Cup in football.
On Monday, almost simultaneously, in the public sphere appeared an article by Ainārs Šlesers, in which he announces the possibility to return to politics, and information from the prosecutor's office that several people have been accused of possible illegal actions in the implementation of digital television. Among these people are the two "oligarchs". It must be emphasized that I will not consider the legal side of this case. Not a word about it in this article. Let qualified lawyers do that. However, as these political "luminaries" are involved, it is no longer just a legal process. It has an important political component, which it would be pointless to deny.
Given the public resonance of the case, it would be particularly important for the public prosecutor's office to be able to explain in a few sentences, in a way that everyone can understand, what the crime of the accused people really was. If the prosecution, as usual, tries to list the articles of the accusation without a clear description of the offense, then regardless of the real circumstances, there will be a reason to believe that the case is of a political nature.
This is a very important aspect because you can successfully demonize people just by adding - accused of serious crimes - to their names but it only affects those sections of the public who a priori consider them guilty and knowingly or unknowingly crave their blood (imprisonment). It would be important for others to know what the story is about because every crime has a clear essence. What exactly was done? If this cannot be explained and must be replaced with a list of Criminal Code articles, then it is clear that there is nothing really to go to court about, but someone really wants to.
In a situation where even loyalists of power are forced to acknowledge the government's weak crisis management during the pandemic, bringing the topic of "oligarchs" to the forefront is a huge success for Kariņš's leadership.
To be more precise, the government management has been much more capable in this regard than in the fight against the pandemic, and it has managed to re-launch the case of 12 years old, forgotten events.
From this aspect, the issue of “oligarchs” in Latvian political and legal practice is comparable to the currently sensitive topic in the West of sexual harassment. There is no statute of limitations, and no matter how long ago and how seemingly innocent the events seemed at that time, they can be brought to light again, as long as someone can benefit from it. The "culprits" have almost no hope of saving their face. At best, their reputation is forever ruined, at worst, a prison sentence or a costly "settlement".
There is another analogy for this Šķēle and Šlesers case. This "case" will be discussed and regurgitated in the media in the same way as the "stars" of the 1980s stage events do not stop appearing on Russian TV screens. For the simple reason that the people who are still watching these TV shows like it, because all these eternal Valery Leontievs allow us to live in the illusion that we have managed to stop the passage of time. Youth does not watch it anyway. It is the same with us - for those who follow politics, it is much more interesting to follow the newest events of Šlesers and Šķēle than trying to understand the new characters of the new season, which the audience does not really know, because no one has inflated them to the level of "oligarchs". Then you have to use the old, well-known 3A because there are no other heavyweights that could be dragged to the market square for sacrifice.
A few months ago, in order to save the political class in power from the anger of the people, Ilze Viņķele had to be sacrificed. This helped Kariņš's hot air balloon stay in the air just for a short while. The next victim had to be thrown overboard, and the public was already guessing who it would be. Pavļuts? The Vaccination Bureau led by Eva Juhņēviča? But maybe the whole Karinš's office will be cast off? Now the very useful "oligarchs" have arrived as an unexpected salvation.
Everyone is tired of the vaccination issues. Therefore, a new type of cake is served in the dessert. New accusations. About what? Why? It doesn't matter at all, because if you don't like someone (both Šlesers and Šķēle are people with a relatively high anti-rating), then any accusations will seem right, desirable and, most importantly, fair. It is no longer important how justified they are. The forthcoming elections and party ratings are what's important.
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