[ad_1]
This year marks the tenth anniversary of Russia’s invasion of eastern Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. At that time, in 2014, Latvian residents were also frightened by what was happening in Ukraine – in order to avoid this, national reconciliation was necessary, and the movement announced that its face was Einar Schlesser The costs were paid by the “National Reconciliation” associations. Analyzing the annual reports of these associations, “No Individual” discovered that one of the funders of the campaign was a company belonging to the family of one of the Russian president’s closest friends.
In 2014, Šlesers announced his return to politics and his participation in the Sajma elections with the “United Latvia” party. He attracted former prime ministers Aigars Kalvītis and Ivars Godmanis to the team and began advertising the party’s locomotive in the summer of 2014. However, he started campaigning very early – Šlesers reportedly founded the “Načias sligīms” association as early as January together with two members of the “Vienoti Latvijai” party board, Andri Pudana and Marek Zeltina, and in March began an extensive advertising campaign to “Nekā personia”. The footage of the first video clip used scenes of violence from the Independence Square in Ukraine. The ad appeared a few weeks after Crimea was occupied by Russian troops.
The program Nothing Personal quoted an advertisement from the association “Načias sligīmas”: “From words to bullets is only one step. Ukraine must not be repeated in Latvia. Latvia will never become a Russian province. Latgale will never become Crimea. Externally, we are safe in Europe and NATO. The threat comes from ourselves. We are dying, the old leave, the young leave, and in 20 years children will not be born. Europe cannot help us unite the various peoples into a common state.
Latvian is the basis of national reconciliation – the only official language of Latvia. We will respect all languages, but this is Latvia. With slogans like “The Russians are coming” and “Fascism is dying”, the extremists want us to stay in the past, but we have to think about tomorrow, time is running out. Let’s forgive each other and not give Russians in Latvia to Russia. These are our people. One third of Latvia should not feel superfluous for not having their own homeland and country. Russians, Ukrainians, Jews. Lutherans, Orthodox or Catholics. This is the part of Latvia when the strong step back. It is the time for people to return, for Latvia to be prosperous, for children to be born in big, strong families. Let’s unite for Latvia. There is time. Einar Schlesser. ”
In another ad, the association called for Russian schools not to be closed. It said events in Ukraine were not to be blamed on Russian aggression and cited a lack of national reconciliation.
At the time, the media asked Schlesser why the advertising was paid for by the association and not by the “Vienoti Latvijai” party. According to “unrelated individuals”, he replied that he was speaking to Latvian society and not to voters, and that “as a private person” he was promoting the idea of national reconciliation.
There are limits on donations to political parties. Companies cannot donate and there is a cap on the amount they can donate. There are no such limits on associations. The association’s donation report shows that it received €350,000 in 2014.
According to research by the program “Neká peresika”, businessman Mihails Ulmans donated 75 thousand euros to the state reconciliation, which is currently accused of the murder of bankruptcy administrator Mārtiņš Bunkus. 40 thousand was donated by the company “Ad Hook Digital”, now renamed “Forestry Finance”. Its largest owner is German Savickis, Ulman’s business partner. Another 35 thousand euros came from the company “MB Investments”. Now it has been liquidated, but among the historical owners and managers Ulmans and Savickis can be found. “Rietumu Banka” donated 10 thousand, and SIA “Dzintaru 28” donated 10 thousand, which is engaged in the development of apartment buildings in Jurmala.
Construction work on Dzintaru Prospect 28 began in 2014. Therefore, the company did not have any apartments to sell at that time, according to “Neka persona”. The only income came from loans, but the shareholders saved 100,000 euros for donation to the “National Reconciliation” Association.
At the time, 25% of the company’s shares belonged to real estate entrepreneur Natalja Rudzīte, but the largest owners, with 34% each, were the British Virgin Islands company of the hidden owner “Wexford Finance” and Russian citizen Kirill Kovalchuk. 7% belonged to Alexander Ordzhonikidze.
According to Unrelated Personal, Kovalchuk represents one of the most influential families in Russia. He heads the National Media Group, which owns shares in many print publications as well as television channels, such as Channel One, which is important for propaganda. The company is owned by Yuriy Kovalchuk, the brother of Kirill’s father. The board of directors of the National Media Group is chaired by Alina Kabaeva, who is believed to be the mother of Vladimir Putin’s youngest child.
Kirill Kovalchuk’s father Mikhail is the head of the Kurchatov Institute, the country’s main scientific research institution in the field of atomic energy, and his brother Yuri is considered the second most influential person in the country. He is Vladimir Putin’s closest friend and personal banker. He owns a media empire, the “Russian” bank, and, according to what Alexey Navalny once said publicly, he owns a house in Vardaya called Putin Dacha, which is the residence of the Russian dictator.
“Kovalchuk is one of the few people Putin really trusts,” said political technologist and consultant Abbas Galyamovs on the show “Nothing Personal”. “Kovalchuk has much more influence than others in Putin’s closest circle – the Rotenbergs, Timchenko. Yes, they are businessmen who Putin directs and allows to make money, that is, they are Putin’s tentacles into the Russian economy. But Kovalchuk manages the political tool without it, and Putin stays in power with its help.” Galyamov stressed that Kovalchuk is one of the ideologues of the war in Ukraine. He is sure that Kirill Kovalchuk will not decide to finance the Poles’ campaign in Latvia alone.
“‘National reconciliation’? I have never been associated with such an organization. I’m sorry,” said Ainas Schlessers in an interview with Neka persona. He did not remember being a member of such an association and invited Andris Prudents and Marex Zeltinas to ask about it. When asked if he knew Kovalchuk, Schlesser replied: “I don’t know, I have never met such a person.”
The program “Nothing Personal” noted that the association “Načias sjligums” was liquidated after the 2015 election campaign. Kirill Kovalchuk was included in the US sanctions in 2016, he is also subject to sanctions in Europe, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Kovalchuk’s shares in the Latvian company “Dzintaru 28” were taken over by his wife Kira. Now the entire company is officially owned by Kovalchuk’s business partner Alexander Ordzhonikidze, who is known in Russia as a media manager, propagandist and grandson of a famous Stalin aide.
Delphi followed suit Instagram or Youtube In Profile – Join to find out the most important and interesting things first!
[ad_2]
Source link
