The Minister of the Economy, Jānis Vitenbergs, admitted on TV24's "Dienas personība" program that "Latvia has been in a state of emergency for more than 12 months over the last two years, during which it has lost its position in the Baltic region".
The figures for gross domestic product, exports of goods and services, and industrial production show that Vitenbergs is not lying about himself and the government of which he is a part. Latvia is indeed falling further and further behind its neighbors. LTV's "De facto" also reported the same thing. At the same time, influential opinion leaders are tirelessly repeating that the Kariņš government is, if not the best in the history of our country, at least one of the best. How so? We are falling further and further behind, but it is hard to imagine a better government.
This situation seems paradoxical only at first glance, until we come to the criteria of this "goodness" in the circles of these flatterers. They have long ceased to be economic indicators. The main criterion for the "goodness" of a government is obedience to the ruling political class. To the new Brahmin/priestly caste, whose numbers are growing exponentially and who are "working" very hard to produce the "right opinions" and "moral standards". If one allows oneself to be critical of this government and coalition, one risks being placed on the "excommunication" list. Even Jānis Domburs has to apologize for having dared to deviate from the canons of scripture. Here are some of the most characteristic accusations after "Kas notiek Latvijā?" program on February 9.
Ance Pētersone: "'KNL?' just winds me up. We want to abolish everything so much. Domburs is acting like an anti-vaxxer. Everything in the coalition is bad, nonsense."; Klāvs Sedlnieks: "It is a pleasure to watch ten competent infectologists discussing with Domburs tonight what would and would not be a sensible course of action to deal with the current health crisis (sarcasm, as there is not even one person present this time who knows the issues)." Note that the focus is not on the procurement of the rapid Covid-19 tests, which, as Domburs reveals in the program, have been withdrawn in Germany as totally unreliable, but on the fact that there are no ardent fanatics of continued restrictions in the studio.
What has Domburs done "wrong"? By allowing himself to treat members of the ruling coalition with insufficient reverence, he has disrespected the entire nobility. He has failed to get into the "right" groove and has thus blasphemed the power of the high priests. It is only decent in polite society to support the Kariņš government, and if one is allowed to criticize it a little, it is only for individual, insignificant trifles or individual ministers who have not mastered the art of oratory sufficiently well. The only permissible message to the public is - we are in favor and we want to see this political class rule forever and ever.
How intimidated journalists feel (even if they don't realize it themselves) is shown by Vita Dreijere's apology (!) for having interviewed on the Delfi website, no, not heretics like Pēteris Apinis or Ilze Aizsilniece, but Jurijs Perevoščikovs, who is very close to the government. "I know that Jurijs Perevoščikovs doesn't seem as cool in my bubble as Ņikita Trojanskis, but I wanted to talk to him, and with some persistence, I managed it." The journalist is basically making the excuse that she interviewed not the "cool" (and therefore correct and acclaimed) Trojanskis, but the less combative and less fervent believer Perevoščikovs. Welcome to the new world of correctness!
Māris Možvillo, MP and leader of the party For a Humane Latvia (Par cilvēcīgu Latviju), tweeted on Thursday during a session of the Saeima: "Today is a hunting day for the big four [the ruling coalition]. A/Par+JKP inhaled 40 million euros. Soon JKP will get the ports of Riga and Ventspils. I am waiting for the moment when NA will grab LVM and Latvenergo. JKP has already ground the railways into the dirt - soon will sell them. So it is time to throw them out of the Saeima. In October."
In this tweet by Možvillo one can see (depending on what one wants to see) both the disdain created by political competition and the ironic assessment of someone who knows. It should not be forgotten that Možvillo was for a long time the leader of a party faction in this coalition and knows its deeds and rules as an insider. His assessment of what is happening in the Saeima should therefore not be underestimated.
However, I do not mention this tweet by Možvillo just to point out what someone is going to "inhale", "get" or "grab" something. I would like to reiterate that the economic consequences of these decisions are hardly of interest to anyone. Improving the efficiency of an economic structure is not the basis of political decisions. The motives for these decisions are different: 1) to stick it to the political and ideological opponents; 2) to position oneself as loyal to the new "church"; 3) to "inhale", "get" or "grab" something under the guise of this loyalty.
The fact that we are falling further and further behind Estonia and Lithuania does not count as a relevant issue in the Latvian political system. Much more important are ideologically charged questions of faith - do you believe in "science"? Do you believe in the human capacity to change the climate? Do you believe in myriad genders and diverse family models? Do you believe that race is a social construct? Do you believe that the "oligarchs" and the decisions of the first Godmanis government in 1992 are to blame for the growing gap with our neighbors?
Even if the absolute majority of the Latvian population is not interested in these issues at all, this does not mean that they will not play a decisive role in the Saeima elections on October 1. Until then, and even afterwards, sermons will be preached from all chambers 24/7, dividing the political forces into the good and the bad. Not according to their ability to close the gap with our neighbors, but according to the aforementioned criteria of faith and obedience. Whether you are prepared to support the new, self-appointed Brahmin caste always and everywhere.