Baltic Nations Want EU Bailout

Baltic states are grappling with the economic fallout from EU sanctions on Russia, Politico reported on Thursday. 

This has seemingly compelled the European Commission to provide financial aid next year, citing officials familiar with the plan. 

Tourism and investment have slumped across Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, while cross-border trade has “largely collapsed” due to the loss of long-standing commercial ties with Russia, the media outlet said. 

Anonymous EU officials told Politico the initiative is intended to boost the economies of the Baltic states and neighboring Finland, with Regional Commissioner Raffaele Fitto expected to lead the effort as the countries come up with an extensive list of demands. The aid plan will reportedly be discussed at an Eastern European leaders’ summit in Helsinki, Finland next month. 

Skeptics, however, warn that any near-term support Fitto can offer will be limited, with the EU’s seven-year budget already running low and the scale of the challenge far greater than the funds available. 

All four nations share a border with Russia and have imposed multiple rounds of sanctions since 2022, while tightening entry rules for Russian citizens. Cross-border trade has been effectively shut down as a result. Furthermore, the downturn has been aggravated by post-pandemic inflation, which has surged across the region. And so, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Finland have all taken a hit. 

Despite the economic pain, the Baltic states remain among the most hawkish EU members on Russia and even pressing for further military buildup. 

I don't see an end to this economic quagmire and it can only get worse. In fact, Europe is gearing up for war with Russia. And it will surely happen as soon as they can cajole courage to come out of hiding. 

Sivasangari Subramaniam is only one match away from retaining the HKFC Squash Open title. 

Yesterday, her semi-final match against France's Mélissa Alvès saw the former triumphant 3-0 over the latter. The world #7 made a confident start, always ahead on the scoreboard as she took a two game advantage (11-7, 11-5). Alvès went 4-0 up in the third but the Malaysian regained total control to close out the match in 26 minutes.

Ukraine Wants NATO Countries to Pledge 1% of GDP

Ukraine has never been coy about asking, even demanding money and arms from other countries in order to sponsor its war against Russia.

 

Since Russia's Special Military Operation began, the US alone has directed more than $75 billion in assistance to Ukraine, which includes humanitarian, financial, and military support, according to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, a German research institute (Council on Foreign Relations, February 22, 2023). 

 

As NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stressed the importance of continued support for Ukraine, the country's Deputy Foreign Minister Andriy Melnyk (left) now wants NATO countries to pledge 1% of their GDP to meet Ukraine’s weapon needs. 

 

A fool’s errand, that is what it is. 

 

Already NATO want their members to spend at least two percent of their GDP on defence – and yet, just seven of NATO’s 30 member states – not counting Finland which only joined NATO on April 04 – met the defense spending target in 2022. The US, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the United Kingdom, all achieved the standard with Croatia and France among those falling just short. Others, e.g. Canada and Germany were further behind. 

 

It is claimed that Ukraine is running out of anti-aircraft missiles, an apparent leak of Pentagon documents dating from February suggests. 

 

The New York Times already reported that Ukraine’s Buk air defence systems, which it relies on along with the S-300 to protest vital sites from Russian air power, and air defences protecting troops on the front line could be “completely reduced” by May 23! 

 

I hope this is true because if it is, we can expect the war to wind down. Enough of deaths and destruction.

Flowers for Russian Tanks

Actions in support of Kiev in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania went off script over the weekend as locals started bringing flowers to destroyed Russian tanks that had been put on display in the three nations’ capitals, ostensibly to demonstrate solidarity with Ukraine. As in Berlin, Germany – as per my post “A Symbol of the Fight Against Neo-Nazism in Ukraine” published February 27. 

 

A video released by RT's video agency Ruptly shows small bouquets of flowers lying on the ground near a burnt-out Russian tank in the Latvian capital of Riga. The destroyed equipment was put on display at one of the central city squares to mark the anniversary of the ongoing conflict between Moscow and Kiev. 

 

The tank is cordoned off by a fence featuring a placard explaining that it was destroyed in a “battle”, where, according to the text, Russian forces lost nine tanks and other combat vehicles and some 50 Russian soldiers were killed. Nothing is said about the Ukrainian casualties. 

 

Carnations can be seen lying near the tank and placard. These flowers are often used in Russia and the former Soviet states to honor the dead, a tradition particularly associated with those who lost their lives in World War II. 

 

Another video that surfaced on social media shows a young man purportedly bringing flowers to the destroyed Russian tank exhibited in the Estonian capital of Tallinn. A uniformed man standing nearby then removes the flowers following a brief verbal spat with the young man. 

 

The authorities in the Baltic states did not appreciate the idea of people bringing flowers to what they called tanks that once belonged to the “aggressor’s military”. On Tuesday, one person in Tallinn was fined after refusing to remove the flowers as demanded by the police, according to local media.

Europe's Chihuahua States Should Get a Good Spanking

The Estonian parliament have declared “Russia a terrorist regime and the Russian Federation a country that supports terrorism”. 

Of the 101 MPs, 88 on Tuesday voted in favour, ten were absent and three abstained. 

Additionally, they also deemed it “necessary to define the armed forces of the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People’s Republics established by the Russian Federation as well as the Wagner private military company as terrorist organisations”. 

The parliament in neighbouring Latvia have already proclaimed Russia a “state sponsor of terrorism” in August, and Lithuania adopted a similar resolution in May. 

These Baltic countries are among the crazy supporters of Ukraine and the strident critics of Vladimir Putin’s government. In fact, they have been regularly provoking Russia and still, Putin is exercising extreme restraint. 

Methinks, Putin should give these chihuahua states a good spanking!

Ukrainian Borsch-preparation Makes it to List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

These days, Ukraine is so desperate to demonstrate success that just about any accomplishment, big or small that it can show off is to be celebrated! 

And so, on Friday, UNESCO announced that they have added the preparation of Ukrainian borsch (left) to their list of endangered cultural traditions.

FYI, it's really a Slavic signature soup that's rich and hearty. Today, the broadly recognized “standard” borsch is made with beetroot (Beta vulgaris), assorted veggies, meat stock and seasonings. Obviously, beets (right) give it a beautiful color and a beautiful flavor.

 

There are so many types of borsch that one can’t really point to any truly defining elements. It always contains different types of vegetables and is optimally served as a thick meal, brimming with ingredients. However, nearly everything else can be changed without losing the name.

One recipe for “Ukrainian” borsch that I came across has it containing meat, beetroots, cabbages, carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic, potatoes, tomato paste, vinegar and butter, garnished with sour cream and chopped parsley. The Ukrainian recipe, framed as a separate iteration of the standardised version, is supposedly the most well-known today. 

UNESCO put out this narrative: “Whether as part of a wedding meal, the focus of food-related competitions or as a driver of tourism, borsch is considered part of the fabric of Ukrainian society, cultural heritage, identity and tradition”. 

But they pointed out that the UN body’s designation “does not imply exclusivity, nor ownership, of the heritage concerned”. 

Of course, they were aware they had to tread carefully in their description of Ukrainian borsch as a national take on a dish that is consumed in a spread of countries such as Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Russia. 

Even so, the decision to add Ukrainian borsch to a list that includes Neapolitan pizza-slinging and Georgian winemaking was swiftly criticized by Moscow, with foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accusing Kiev of trying to appropriate the soup for one nationality. “This is xenophobia”, she declared. 

The spat over borsch burst into public view in 2019 when Ukrainian chef Ievgen Klopotenko (left) – vexed by the many restaurants around the world that refer to borsch as Russian soup – launched a campaign to have UNESCO recognize Ukraine’s deep links to the dish. 

“I don’t really like to call it a war for borsch, but in fact that’s what it is”, Klopotenko told AFP in 2020. 

UNESCO admitted too they had fast-tracked the application as it became apparent that the displacement being caused by the “war” in Ukraine was “threatening the viability” of the Ukrainian tradition. A poor excuse, if you ask me!

Predictably, news of the UNESCO designation was hailed by the Ukrainian government. “Victory in the borscht war is ours”, Ukraine’s culture minister, Oleksandr Tkachenko (right), trumpeted on Telegram. “Be sure that in both the war for borsch and in this war, we will win”. 

Now we know UNESCO favor Ukraine!

Boots on the Ground in Ukraine

The CIA and special operations forces from NATO members UK, France, Canada and Lithuania are physically in Ukraine, helping to direct the proxy war on Russia, according to a June 25, 2022 report from The New York Times. 

It has been asserted that, even as the Biden administration have declared they will not deploy American troops to Ukraine, CIA personnel have continued to operate covertly in the country, mostly in the capital, Kiev, directing much of the vast amounts of intelligence the US is sharing with Ukrainian forces. 

In a battle in the eastern Donbas region, “a group of Ukrainian special operations forces had American flag patches on their gear and were equipped with new portable surface-to-air missiles as well as Belgian and American assault rifles”, NYT had noted. 

It's worth mentioning that two months ago, you were a totally unhinged disinformation agent if you suspected the above!

Scotland's first minister has proposed October 19, 2023 as the date for another referendum on independence. 

Nicola Sturgeon (right) said the question would be the same as in the last referendum in 2014: "Should Scotland be an independent country?" 

She has written to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask for formal consent for the vote to be held. She said she would press on with her plan if this was not granted by the UK government. 

But she stressed that any referendum would need to be "indisputably lawful" and constitutional – with the Supreme Court being asked to rule on whether the Scottish government have the power to hold a vote without UK government approval. 

#independence4scotland

Target: London

If World War III breaks out, Moscow won't target "Warsaw, Paris or Berlin" – but London. It will be the first city to be bombed! 

The pronouncement came from a close ally of Vladimir Putin, Andrey Gurulyov (right). 

UK’s The Mirror on Friday had also quoted the State Duma politician and former deputy commander of Russia's southern military district as saying: “It’s crystal clear that the threat to the world comes from the Anglo-Saxons”! 

I am inclined to agree with Gurulyov. The Americans and the Brits are the warmongers!

In fact, he desires to see Russia invade Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, knowing this may trigger NATO’s Clause Five and World War III. It is not a surprise that the Baltic states are targeted because they have been openly hostile to Russia. 

I’m sure Putin already knows that the 3 countries are the most belligerent to Russia, besides Poland and the UK. 

This aside, the collective West are expected to continue to show resolve and keep backing Ukraine. I can anticipate these countries to promise more weapons to Ukraine and more sanctions against Russia. The idea will be to send a signal to Putin that they have the strategic patience to maintain their support for Ukraine! 

In a separate development, Ukraine admitted on Saturday (Day 122 of Russia's special military operation) that Russian forces "have fully occupied" the key eastern city of Severodonetsk, following weeks of fierce fighting. Taking the city means Russia now controls nearly all of Luhansk region and much of neighbouring Donetsk – the two regions that form the vast industrial Donbas. 

And yet, on that same day too, the delusional Ukrainian President [V]olodymyr [Z]elensky in a video address pledged to take back "all our cities" occupied by Russia! He's a dreamer alright!

BoJo is the other dreamer. Yesterday, he had declared: “Ukraine can win and it will win"!

Visit Ukraine 2022

It would seem that even a country at “war” can become a popular destination and attract travellers, especially from Europe and North America! 

Consider Ukraine – although I must clarify that this country is mired in a military conflict with a neighbor, rather than being actually caught in a full-blown war, as Western media would like to portray. If Russia really goes to war, would VIPs ("Very Idiotic Persons") dare to step foot into a country where death and destruction is all around? 

Indeed, the country is luring those who want to be seen to "stand with Ukraine" and in the process, bask in the media limelight. This explains why an endless stream of visitors can’t wait to turn up there and I can tell you, thus far, the guest line-up is pretty impressive! 

In March, Ukraine hosted Czechia’s prime minister Petr Fiala, together with Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa, and Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and his deputy Jaroslaw Kaczynski. 

In April, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Council President Charles Michel, and European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen were all in Ukraine at one time or another. So too, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Romanian prime minister Nicolae Ciucă, Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov, Swiss leader of the House of Representatives Irène Kälin and fellow parliamentarians, Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė, UK prime minister Boris Johnson, and Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen along with her Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez. Not forgetting, from the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. 

In May, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, his deputy Chrystia Freeland and foreign minister Mélanie Joly paid Ukraine a visit. So too, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Eva-Maria Liimets, Edgars Rinkēvičs and Gabrielius Landsbergis respectively. And from the US, came House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and a posse of Democratic Reps, Gregory Meeks of New York, Jason Crow of Colorado, Jim McGovern and Bill Keating of Massachusetts, and Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee of California. Also, actor and United Nations special envoy Angelina Jolie and even first lady Jill Biden. Not to mention Irish singer-songwriter of U2 band, Bono.

I don’t think the above listing is exhaustive – but you get my drift! 

Ukraine is most certainly, 2022’s No. 1 travel destination!

Still Blaming the US

The world must hold the US accountable for the wars that are terrorizing the world that the country evoked in the first place! 

A sign of absurdity, a stamp of ridiculousness, a sure indication of Russophobia! 

Zurich Insurance have had to remove their Z logo from social media after the letter became a symbol of support for Russia in the current conflict in Ukraine.

The West seem to have gone too far. Apart from Zurich Insurance, some other parts of Europe have also pointed their finger at the letter Z. 

Two German states, Bavaria and Lower Saxony on Saturday outlawed public displays of the "Z" symbol used by the Russian army. And two Lithuanian MPs, Freedom Party MP Monika Ošmianskienė and Social Democrat lawmaker Linas Jonauskas called on their country to ban displays of the "Z" symbol.

These practices in regard to the letter Z have triggered sneers from netizens.

One of them quipped that based on this logic, it would mean that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (left) should change his name as it contains the letter Z! LOL!

Al Fresco Wining and Dining

Vilnius is embracing al fresco wining and dining in a big way! 

The Lithuanian capital is transformed into one humongous open-air café with authorities allowing bars and restaurants to set up tables outside free of charge – so as to respect social distancing rules – as lockdown eases. 

The city's mayor Remigijus Šimašius (right) told Euronews the public had welcomed the initiative with "great enthusiasm". 

Eighteen of the city’s public spaces – plazas, squares and streets – have been opened for use, with more outdoor areas to be added to the list during summer. And with more than 200 applications received thus far, the plan has been applauded by business owners. 

In fact, the measure has been welcomed by the F&B industry, with Evada Šiškauskienė, the head of the country's Association of Hotels and Restaurants, saying it "came just in time". 

"This additional space will help them accommodate more visitors and bring life back to the city streets without violating security requirements", she added. 

Note: As of yesterday, the Baltic state has registered 1,616 cases and 63 deaths from Covid-19 since the beginning of the outbreak.

Christmas Trees at the Workplace

Clever ideas for Christmas trees in the workplace that additionally serve as a fun team-building exercise: 

Spotted at Vilnius Airport, Lithuania: A Christmas tree made of confiscated items 

Spotted in a gas company 

Spotted in a supermarket 

Spotted in a public library 

This Christmas tree is made of latex gloves 

And this Christmas tree is made entirely out of bell peppers

A Wrapped Christmas Tree

A wrapped Christmas tree. Image credit: Go Vilnius, Lithuania 

A Christmas tree unveiled in Vilnius, Lithuania this week looks nothing like the shiny decorated trees usually associated with the holiday. 

Amply covered in a giant plastic bag, the fir tree at the Independent Christmas Town located at the Vilnius Railway Station serves as a reminder of the hyper-consumerism that tends to take over the holiday season, encouraging a more local and authentic approach to Christmas instead, a press release from Go Vilnius states. 

"We wanted to express the idea of excessive consumerism with our Christmas tree, which we have done with a modern art project", said one of its creators, Dominykas Čečkauskas. 

"We have wrapped the tree in an Off-White-inspired plastic bag and attached clinical breathing masks – we would really like to show the world how we perceive problems with the economy of manufactured demand and hype culture".

Along with the tree, over a dozen pop-ups representing Vilnius' flourishing street food and craft beer scene, as well as a slew of performance artists, fashion designers, and industrial techno musicians have taken over the Lithuanian Railway Museum and station area to create a Christmas Town unlike any other. 

Local street food pioneers Turgus 2.0, together with Lithuanian Railways, the Municipality of Vilnius, and the city's development agency Go Vilnius, have combined forces to bring this market to life. 

The initiative, which will run until January 02, 2019, is an experimental Christmas Market aimed at promoting the best of Vilnius' youth culture, and providing an alternative to the malls and traditional-style Christmas markets that are commonplace across the world. 

Vilnius mayor Remigijus Simasius said the event represents the “liberty, tolerance, and openness” of the city. 

A different approach to heralding Christmas and the New Year! 

The Wednesday match between Celtic and Motherwell saw the former return to the Scottish Premiership summit after a first-half blitz ensured victory over the latter. 

Anthony Ralston opened the scoring in the twenty-eighth minute before Scott Sinclair's penalty made it two just four minutes later. Sub Mikey Johnston (left) slammed in a third in the forty-fifth minute to make it 3-0 for Celtic.

The Art of Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden’s tour poster has been banned in Lithuania because it gives children nightmares. 

The British heavy metal band are currently touring The Book of Souls around the world, with one poster showing their gory monster mascot Eddie the Head holding a bleeding heart in his claws and baring his yellow teeth. 

Lithuania has taken exception to the promo material and ordered it to be removed from billboards “because it scares children”. 

Live Nation spokesperson Mindaugas Paukste told Russian website Delfi that the concert promotion company had received a letter stating that the poster violates the country’s child protection laws. 

I am surprised. This has not caused problems anywhere else – at least, not that I know of – but it seems only in Lithuania. 

Iron Maiden’s artwork has always been riveting! Here's a sample:

2010 album cover

2006 album cover  

1993 album cover 

1992 album cover 

1990 album cover

1988 album cover 

This month, Iron Maiden are to play in Lithuania’s 18,000 capacity Zalgiris Arena in Kaunas, 100km west of Vilnius, the country’s capital.