This week horrors of war continued in Ukraine. The country reported, among other things, that the Russian army has apparently set up a concentration camp for Ukrainians in the outskirts of Kharkiv.
Russian President Vladimir Putin presented another unimaginably cynical announcement of plans to hold a «referendum» on the addition of self-proclaimed republics – Luhansk and Donetsk – to territories of the Russian Federation.
In Latvia, meanwhile, the Central Statistical Bureau reports the country’s GDP has grown by 5.9% in Q1 2022. In spite of this growth, however, economists predict a difficult year for the country.
Major social network update: billionaire Elon Musk purchased Twitter social network platform, promising to make it more open for free speech.
BNN gives you a summery of the most relevant events of the past week in the following topics: Latvia’s economy; Theatre of occupants; Euro and dollar; Russian gas; State money; Horrors of the past repeat; Changes in Twitter.
LATVIA’S ECONOMY
Latvia’s GDP increases by 5.9%
Photo: UnsplashCompared to Q1 2021, gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 5.9 % in Q1 2022, according to seasonally and calendar non-adjusted data.
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THEATRE OF OCCUPANTS
Russia preparing «referendums» to annex Ukraine’s Donbas
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a meeting of the Council of Legislators at the Federal Assembly in Saint Petersburg, Russia April 27, 2022. Photo: via REUTERS/SCANPIXRussia plans to hold «referendums» in the parts of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in Ukraine occupied by the Kremlin. The two self-proclaimed, separatist «republics» could see two such votes happening in mid-May, according to Riga-based Russian news portal Meduza.
The news portal wrote, quoting three unnamed sources close to Putin’s administration in Moscow, that the weekend of May 14 and 15, 2022 has been chosen to for orchestrating the votes.
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EURO AND DOLLAR
EU’s single currency drops in value against dollar
Foto: REUTERS/SCANPIXThis week, the valued of the euro fell below 1.06 US dollars for the first time in five years, British news portal The Guardian reports.
On Wednesday, April 27, investors sought out safe-haven investments like the dollar, amid rising concerns around Europe’s energy safety, and the economic growth slowdown in Europe and China. On Wednesday, the euro’s valued fell to USD 1.05890 after Russia’s Gazprom cut gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after the countries refused to pay for gas in roubles.
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RUSSIAN GAS
Russia stops gas supplies to Poland, Bulgaria; EU launches contingency plans
Photo: Jochen Eckel/Imago images/ScanpixRussia’s energy exporter Gazprom has on Wednesday, April 28, stopped gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria after they refused to pay for natural gas in Russian roubles. EU has said it was ready for the move and member states will help Poland and Bulgaria in solidarity, Polskie Radio reports.
Gazprom said on Wednesday it had halted gas supplies to Poland and Bulgaria for failing to pay for gas in roubles. This is the Kremlin’s most significant move yet in response to international sanctions over Russia’s war against Ukraine.
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STATE MONEY
Pro-Kremlin posts may cost Latvian Russians Union its state funding
Leader of Latvian Russians Union and Latvian MEP Tatjana Ždanoka. Photo: Evija Trifanova/LETAStatements justifying Russia’s foreign policy, as well as continued use of propaganda may result in state funding being pulled from the political party Latvian Russians Union, according to Corruption Prevention and Combating Bureau (KNAB).
KNAB explained that the Law on Financing of Political Organisations (Parties) includes cases when a political party may lose access to state funding. This can happen, for instance, if a party’s activities are shut down, if the party fails to submit a valid annual account or report on election expenses and revenue for the previous year, and if the party breaches rules that govern the use of state financing by illegally using more than EUR 30 000 of state budget funding.
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HORRORS OF THE PAST REPEAT
Ukraine: Concentration camp set up Kharkiv region
A service member of pro-Russian troops in Ukraine. Photo: REUTERS/SCANPIXRussian occupation forces have set up a concentration camp in north-eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian Ombudswoman Lyudmyla Denysova has stated.
The Kyiv Independent reports that Denysova stated this on the Telegram social network. According to her, Russian troops have established a concentration camp in a factory building in Vovchansk, Kharkiv Oblast. «Residents of the Kharkiv region are tortured and forced to cooperate,» the official noted.
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CHANGES IN TWITTER
Billionaire Elon Musk acquires Twitter
US billionaire Elon Musk. Photo: Zumapress/SCANPIXThe creator and owner of Tesla cars brand and billionaire Elon Musk has acquired Twitter shares, becoming its main owner.
The billionaire wrote: «I believe free speech is a societal imperative for a functioning democracy, and I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe.»
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BNN summary of the week: Concentration camp in Ukraine. Latvia’s GDP. Twitter’s new owner
