Crime, EU – Baltic States, Latvia, Legislation

A movie by Polish filmmaker was inspired by the eponymously-named book by Inara Vilkaste and narrates about the complicity of Latvian intelligence services to the acts of terrorism organized in Latvia in 2006-2007 and aimed against the high-ranking state official – director of Customs Criminal Board and deputy director of State Revenue Service of Latvia Vladimir Vashkevich.

Student of legal college clearly expressed the common opinion of those present: “We cannot ignore such facts: we have common space, common external borders and we shall be honest in our devotion to ideals. Our words shall meet our actions.”

Viewers expressed a great interest to this movie and the evidences presented therein, they also expressed their commitment to make their fair share of contribution to the prevention of flagrant violation of human right, committed in Latvia up to the present moment. Movie shocked the viewers and made viewers think that uncontrolled intelligence services obtain almost unlimited power without parliament control in some small European country, they are a threat not only for inhabitants of this country, but also for civil values of the whole Europe.

At the end of discussion Inara Vilkaste said: “For a long time I haven’t met people, who are asking such clear questions about a role of the state in improvement of democracy standards, which shall not vary in European Union countries – Latvia and Finland. I was pleasantly surprised by the openness of the audience and the solicitude people are showing to a situation in other European country. I’m expressing my appreciation for the representatives of Finnish youth – intended lawyers, journalists and active democracy defenders”.

Movie “Attempt on the State. Inconvenient Vashkevich” won the first prizes at TMC London Film Festival as the Best Feature Documentary and at The International Indie Gatherimg in Cleveland (Ohio, USA). Movie was also screened at European Parliament in Brussels on September 7, 2016.