BNN SUMMARY OF THE WEEK: Promising promise. Painful ice. To the end

After a long period of silence Saeima’s «self-isolationists» – Aleksejs Rosļikovs’ party For Stability! – finally reminded everyone of its existence. The reason was the warning issued to the party by the State Security Service for giving an interview to information resources used for propaganda purposes by Russia and Belarus.
It would seem that the post-election haze still has not worn off for some politicians, as one man – Latvia’s Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks – decided to drop a hot bomb at the first meeting of the new government. The minister decided to propose taxing families that have no families. He believes this would promote birth rates and motivate residents to have children. He was quickly shot down, however. And the suggestion itself caused quite a stir among residents.
The report from Latvian police about the investigation of insolvency administrator Martins Bunkus’ murder took journalists and most of residents following the story back to the 90s. It turns out that although this era has long since passed, some people’s mindset still has not changed, nor have their habits.
Another case concluded this week, as a once the Mayor of Riga and current MEP from Latvia Nils Ušakovs was found not guilty of keeping a specialised secret surveillance device in his office.
Meanwhile, the visit of Ukraine’s president to Washington is already compared to that of British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Similarly to the latter, Volodymyr Zelensky read a speech at the Congress in hopes of unifying the political elite and secure more aid in the war against Russia.
In Afghanistan, however, the Taliban are busy pushing the country into long-forgotten and dark times. Breaking their original promise for unlimited education for girls, Taliban prohibited women from studying at universities. At the same time, the Taliban request humanitarian aid from the people they consider infidels, as it seems it is far more profitable to grow opium rather than develop the country’s agriculture.
BNN gives you a summery of the most relevant events of the past week in the following topics: Doubtful commitment; Old school; Blast from the past; Charges unstable; Icy pain; Quick worry; Brothers in arms; Dark age progress.
ICY PAIN
Traumotology Hospital unable to keep up with number of patients suffering from various injuries
Photo: FlickrA representative of the Hospital of Traumatology and Orthopaedics (TOS) explained that on Thursday, the 22nd of December, the influx of patients went down slightly, adding that the day before the hospital received 116 patients.
Traumotologists worked without rest until 04:00 a.m. on Thursday. A total of 17 people were admitted with fractures of various kind. The hospital is almost out of room. Patients’ age varied, as did their injuries. Most of them suffered from bone fractures.
TOS Patient Admission Office manager Guntis Naglis predicts patient influx may remain high for a couple of days. If air temperature doesn’t drop again, he said, it may be calm. He also said that the next influx of patients is expected after Christmas.
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OLD SCHOOL
Latvian minister suggests adopting «childless family tax»
Latvian Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks. Photo: Evija Trifanova/LETAWhen forming Latvia’s policy for families, it may be worth adopting a so-called childless family tax, said Minister of Environment Protection and Regional Development Māris Sprindžuks at the first meeting of Latvia’s new government held on Tuesday, the 20th of December.
During the discussion of the plan for implementation of the plan from Ministry of Welfare for Child, youth and family development, the minister said municipalities are not involved in this sector because they have their own tools to govern the policy for families.
If such large-scale activities are planned and guidelines are in the works, it is necessary to clarify the objective, said the politician. If the goal is regeneration of the population, then it would be important to start with an audit of all benefits provided by municipal administrations and ministries, said the minister.
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BLAST FROM THE PAST
Latvian insolvency administrator’s murderer tried for murder of another businessman
Photo: Sintija Zandersone/LETAThe investigation of the murder of insolvency administrator Mārtiņš Bunkus revealed that the crime was organised by criminal kingpin Genādijs Vaļagins, as reported by TV3 programme Nekā personīga. This man was in a good relationship with both detained businessmen Mihails Uļmans and Aleksandrs Babenko.
These three also had financial ties, according to Chief of Criminal Police Criminal Investigations Office of Latvian State Police Romāns Jašins. The shooter that did the deed was previously tried for the murder of Jelgava businessman, director of VETA LLC Haralds Veters in 1997.
The programme also reports: high-ranking police officer Jānis Kāpostiņš was suspended for a possible leak of information related to the investigation. He has retired since his suspension, but the internal investigation still continues.
In the 90s Genādijs Vaļagins represented the so-called Ivans Haritonovs group, which was the second largest criminal group after the Pardaugava group. The money they extorted from businessmen was laundered through real estate purcases in Latvia and foreign countries. Vaļagins, who was then known as Dlynniy [Long] was considered Haritonovs’ right-hand man. He was in charge of the group’s money and its laundering.
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CHARGES UNSTABLE
Court finds ex-mayor of Riga accused of having spying equipment not guilty
Latvian MEP Nils Ušakovs Photo: Edijs Pālens/LETAOn Wednesday, the 21st of December, Riga City Council declared Latvian member of the European Parliament and ex-mayor of Riga Nils Ušakovs of having a hidden video surveillance device in his office.
The prosecution office has the right to submit a protest over this verdict. If the office does this, the case will be reviewed again by Riga Regional Court.
Prosecutor Juris Ločmelis told journalists after the announcement of the verdict that at the moment he is unable to comment whether it will be challenged. He intends to study the verdict in more detail first.
Ušakovs, on the other hand, told journalists that he expected as much from the verdict, adding that Latvia is a country ruled by law and such «politically motivated cases» can never end with a guilty verdict.
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QUICK WORRY
Motorists who exceed permitted speed limits may have licence revoked for repeated offences
Photo: UnsplashThe information reported about amendments to the Road Traffic Law that provide for the measure to revoke driver’s licence from motorists who commit exceed the permitted speed limit by more than 31 km/h is inaccurate – the amendments remain a project and will not apply to everyone who exceeds this speed limit, Latvian State Police explain.
According to law enforcers, this information has caused many different opinions from residents, including concerns about driver’s licence being taken away from every driver that exceeds the speed limit. However, the amendment project mentions that this would be an additional measure that would apply only to people who repeat offences.
This means that if officers of State Police who pull over speed limit violators will look into the motorist’s background and the situation. Depending on the location where the violation took place, appropriate measures and punishments will be applied.
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DOUBTFUL COMMITMENT
For Stability! party leader promises not to give interview to propaganda resources
14th Saeima deputy Aleksejs Rosļikovs. Photo: Zane Bitere/LETAThe leader of 14th Saeima political party For Stability! Aleksejs Rosļikovs has promised to not give interviews to information resources controlled by persons under international sanctions and used for propaganda, according to the politician.
Rosļikovs took the warning from Latvia’s State Security Service (VDD) in regards to members of the party making various statements to Russian and Belarusian information resources used for propaganda purposes in a very positive manner. The Saeima deputy said VDD performs its duty by monitoring the public information space.
«In any case we must respect what VDD says,» said the leader of the party.
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BROTHERS IN ARMS
Biden promises Zelensky the US will continue providing aid to Ukraine «for as long as necessary»
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky meets with US President Joe Biden. Photo: Zumapress.com/SCANPIX/LETADuring his meeting with Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, the 21st of December, US President Joe Biden promised his country will continue supporting Ukraine «for as long as necessary».
Biden also made it clear there are limits to what kind of support will be provided to Kyiv in order to avoid causing a split among its allies.
«Ukraine’s fight is part of something much larger,» Biden said at a shared press-conference with Zelensky, standing next to him. He promised US will provide aid to Ukraine to oppose Russia’s aggression «for as long as necessary».
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DARK AGE PROGRESS
The Taliban forbid women to study at universities
Photo: FlickrIn Afghanistan, the Taliban regime has banned women from studying – a decision condemned by the international community, the BBC writes.
The ban continues the restrictions on women’s education – last year, after the Taliban regime’s return to power, women were denied the opportunity to study in secondary schools.
Some women organized a protest in Kabul on the 21st of December, but the small demonstrations were quickly suppressed by the Taliban authorities. The UN and several countries have already condemned the decision, which takes Afghanistan back to a time when women were not allowed to receive formal education.
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