While famous late night show host Jay Leno joked that most Americans "even don't want to know how bad economy is doing" a little girl was found on an empty field near Tallinn. The dailies and tabloids where publishing her picutre with huge title "No one to claim a child". And so for couple days.

Yesterday the truth was established but no one was able to have a breather. The story of a cutest little girl ever seen is so sad it breaks heart. Decide youself.

The little one was brought to Estonia from Russia by some relatives who wanted to save her from an orphanage. They succeeded for a while until the family of 4 realized their income is too small to have an extra mouth to feed. They left the girl to brave the elements in hope that she would find better fate.

Thank God, she was found! Now she is at the hospital under careful watch and cure since she is suffering from malnutrition.

Estonians often ask ironically: Is this the Estonia we wanted? And this could be asked again in light of little girl left behind. During our regained independence, we have been lucky enough to witness a steady growth of economy that just couple years ago produced even nice double-digit rates. It seemed as if this nation is finally moving towards "happily ever after". But as Estonian proverb goes, "pill tuleb pika ilu peale" (weeping follows long partying).

As macroeconomics goes, economic downtimes are totally normal and actually necessary. Yet for Estonians it is hard to stomach that the independence and liberal markets have not saved them from hardships they have known for centuries. By taking pride in our wisdom (age-old, we would like to mention!) it is hard for us to realize that we as any other nation cannot avoid inevitable.

A couple years ago I had a chance to translate government coalition program. The images of life they were about to create seemed as good as, and truly even better than, the life, let's say Norwegians or Swiss are accustomed to. Like in old Soviet times, the government visioned itself to be like heavenly father who considers everyone's needs and provides them accordingly. Our current prime minister won his election with the slogan "In 15 years, we will be among 5 European richest countries".

Yet now we achieved being among the most expensive European countries...  And government is already tightening the belt. As a measure to curb government spending, they have stopped benefits to those taking care of disabled. They are already talking that child allowance is like throwing away money etc. Funny that someone mentioned freezing parliament pay raise. But conveniently is was established that this would be unlawful - even unconstitutional!

You don't have to be a psychic to tell that all the promises from couple years ago will be forgotten and then, only then, the government would start to cut their pet projects, needless offices etc. You see, in Estonia we talk in ironic terms of two Estonias, one for the privileged and one for the rest. And Estonian government is a part of First Estonia while everyone else belongs to Second Estonia.

After many years of blind idealism and naivete I realize that the governement of democratic Estonia is never about the service of people but mostly about self-enrichment, material one of course. It is not even so much a choice but a human need to take care of one's safety needs first - and our government officials are just humans.

Yet how is it related to this little girl on an empty field? Well, her caretakers did not dare to go to ask help from any government official - they are Russians and were probably afraid that their good deed to save little relative from orphanage will be punished instead.  They did not have trust in Estonian government, that's how I see it.

Still the government agencies raised to challenge and decided not to pursue the case against the caretakers of a little girl - they feel that those poor people are already suffering from a problems of large family on an income below mimimum salary. And this gives me hope that not all is lost in the new era of Estonian independence.

PREVIOUS                                              BACK TO LIST                                     NEXT