Arrogance, ignorance and

an airport comparison

Arrogance and ignorance are not particularly positive characteristics of anyone, and I understand it well if some of our VilNews' readers, who see that I use these words together with a picture of our Prime Minister, predict that I will now be criticising him. So let me hurry to say that these two words are meant for all questionable behaviours seen performed by our governing forces since 1990, not solely for Mr. Kubilius. Read more

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Andrius Kubilius, Lithuania’s Prime Minister

What can be done to improve Lithuania's

reputation to the rest of the world?

A reader who responded to our latest VilNews issue argues that we have begun to go in the footsteps of other Lithuanian media in describing Lithuania in a rather negative way. I can well understand such a reaction, but it must also be said that unfortunately there has been a relatively large number of cases and circumstances in this country that deserve to be described in quite critical terms, such as:
• Lithuania's economy and population, especially the weakest groups, are very hard hit by the economic crisis that has affected the world over the last couple of years, and one must be allowed to make critical remarks on how this country's authorities have acted in the handling of the crisis. It seems to me that Lithuania's government has been more concerned with finding their own solutions, trying to ‘reinvent the wheel' rather than to learn from what other nations have made with regard to stimulus packages, lowered interest rates, etc. in these times of crisis, which in my view unnecessarily sets Lithuania several years back in time compared to many other countries. Read more..

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Dear Aage,

I am an American-Lithuanian born in the US. My father was a ‘DP' after the war, my mother was born in the US. My wife is Lithuanian-American and our four children speak Lithuanian. We have been active in Lithuanian-American post WWII immigration, activities all our lives. We lived in Lithuania 1992 -95 when I was a consultant for the US Treasury there at the Bank of Lithuania. You did "stick your neck out" in making the comments you did but I, for one, agree with you wholeheartedly. I think many others, particularly those who have lived both in Lithuania and outside the country, also agree.

The trick is, what to do about it or, for those of us living outside, why should we be concerned? As life goes on, roots are deepened overseas and Lithuania turns its back on us or makes no effort to either woo back the Diaspora, attract tourists or foreign investment (are these all culturally linked?) an "ace up Lithuania's sleeve" will be lost forever. To be sure, internally generated progress over the last 20 years has been great and the cultural life, in Vilnius particularly, makes life here in Cleveland, or almost anywhere else I can afford to live, pretty dull. Lithuania, however, given its precarious geographic position and small population needs to be exceptional in how it organizes itself and how it takes advantage of every scrap of resource (particularly human) that it can.

Good luck to you Aage.

Rimas Aukstuolis, Cleveland (American-Lithuanian)

Vice President Structured Trade Finance, Fifth Third Bank

Dear Aage,

Your critical comments on, and wishes for, Lithuania in this issue are excellent. I agree with every word, and can only hope that more Lithuanians would take your very informed, friendly, and insightful message to heart!

Best wishes,

Mykolas J. Drunga, Kaunas (American-Lithuanian)

Broadcaster at Lithuanian State Radio

Hello and better year 2010!

I agree 100 % with you about the thesis you wrote in this issue of the journal. Things in reality are exactly as you clearly and straight have written. The reason why you often get critics is the limited knowledge of short-term "visitors", such as business consultants, diplomat crops, coming here for some years and then trying to make a picture from official Lithuanian sources or lousy press articles. I think especially you and partly me (14th year passing here) with our good touch with local population, business-life, some understanding of language and Scandinavian background, values, are looking around without coloured spectacles. Still, almost every day on, with one's private and business life meet corruption, centralization of business (Rubikon, VP etc) and pre-agreed tenders, cartels.

Lithuania has got a lot of very good opportunities to become one of the success stories in Europe for agriculture, tourism, ITservices, leading harbour country by the Baltic Sea etc. but the style must be changed as you say.

Thanks, Aage, for your brave and honest articles earlier, now and in the future. 

Krister Kastren, Klaipeda (Finnish)

Dear Aage,

Many thanks. That is a beautiful piece of writing and a well laid out story perfectly befitting the January 13th.  May I have permission to send this to the Lithuanian daily ‘Draugas’ for publication in Lithuanian and ‘Bridges’ for publication in English?

Best regards,

Stasys Backaitis, Washington dc (American-Lithuanian)

Dear Aage:

Many thanks for writing your Chronicle of Lithuania!

We, Lithuanians in diaspora or in Lithuania itself, should be very grateful and obliged to Great Friends of Lithuania like you!

With all due respect, I believe your criticism is too mild though. Unfortunately, the “inconvenient truth” is that the Soviet communist nomenklatura has hijacked Lithuania’s development in the last almost two decades and, consequently, our country has largely horribly wasted a truly impressive and immense political and economic capital of global good will, so excruciatingly hard earned by the Victims of the January 13th, 1991 brutal Soviet aggression and by the blood and brains of the legendary Lithuanian freedom fighters, world renowned anti-communist dissident movements, and political refugees in the West in the post-WW II years.

Wishing you all the best for 2010 and beyond, I remain

Yours sincerely,

Valdas Samonis, PhD, CPC (Canadian – Lithuanian)

The Web Professor of Global Management(SM)

Hi Aage.

Scary reading, but nevertheless correct, unfortunately.

Well and brave done!

Best regards,

Arthur Simonsen, Vilnius (Norwegian)

Responses to VilNews 7 January

Email 1 from Mr. Andrius Pauga, Consellor at the Embassy of Lithuania in Portugal:

Dear. Mr. Myhre,

Again and again, negative information prevails in your newsletter, as if nothing good happens in Lithuania (except road fatalities down). Even the Capital of Culture is described as a failure. I am very disappointed that you follow this bad tradition of Lithuanian media. Another thing: two Lithuanian ministers are criticised in the first article, many quotes of their critics, but no quote of any of the ministers. That’s really partial.

Email 2 from Mr. Pauga:

Thank you for your answer. I fully agree with you that telling truth is of utmost importance. What I am very concern about is that Lithuanian media (perhaps 90 percent of it) for many years keeps trying to pre-select the truth, to manipulate with truth - not only by giving most of attention to negative facts, but also by constant devaluating and depreciating any positive facts or developments in our country. What we have as a result is a prevailing negativism and lack of patriotism among Lithuanians, and this is worse than any economic crisis. I am deeply convinced that the mission of mass media is to form our society in a positive way, to help our people to discover real values, to teach them how to love their country, to help them to understand finally that there is no better place in the world for Lithuanians (and maybe for some expatriates as well) than Lithuania.

I really hope that your newsletter, while being addressed more to international than local readers, will notice and discover all the colours of Lithuania, not only dark ones. I am looking forward to read next issues of it.

By the way, have you heard that, according to 2010 Quality of Life Index published by the “International Living” magazine (http://www1.internationalliving.com/qofl2010/), Lithuania is 21-st country among the best in the world, with better quality of life than most other countries of Central and Eastern Europe (and even ahead of some countries in Western Europe). Even if this is just one of ratings, it is a good example that many Lithuanians still don’t understand they are blessed by having been born here. I wish you every success in your journalist work and all the happiness for your family.

Sincerely,

Andrius Pauga, Lisbon (Lithuanian)

Consellor at the Embassy of Lithuania in Portugal

Hi Aage,

My guess is that most of the people who have complained about the newsletter are probably people in the Lithuanian government.

Of course, they themselves are not angels when it comes to manipulating media, and the very fact they are complaining directly to you only shows that they are exerting pressure so that you fashion a message that justifies the institutional bullshit they tell themselves and that they want everyone else to buy into. This is a problem not just in Lithuania, but it is still a Lithuanian problem.

On this topic, two quotes bear remembering:

"Propaganda is to a democracy what the bludgeon is to a totalitarian state." Noam Chomsky, the famous MIT linguist.

"Political language -- and with variations this is true of all political parties, from Conservatives to Anarchists -- is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind." George Orwell

Darius Ross, Vilnius (Canadian-Lithuanian)

Journalist

Dear Darius,
Believe me, I have not received a single negative comment or complaint from anyone in the government or from other Lithuanian politicians. If to be even more precise, I have not received any comments from that side, at all….
Aage

Dear Aage, 

Greetings and best wishes from Virginia.

Aage I think telling as you see it should be a good example to Lithuanian news media and political commentators. The Chronicle you wrote is excellent. You have done a great job and should be proud of it.  I tend to agree with Valdas Simonis, PhD that your criticism of things that are not right are too mild if anything.  I wish you continued success.

Jonas Kronkaitis, Virginia USA (American-Lithuanian)

Brigadier General, former Commander of Lithuania’s Armed Forces

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Dear Jonas and Valdas Simonis,
I cannot completely agree with you that my criticism has been too mild. I know very well that there are also among today’s Lithuanian politicians individuals who really want to do their very utmost to contribute to better conditions and a more positive development for this country, so I have not wanted to be too harsh or drastic when I first decided to make my views known. I hope however that my comments and the ensuing debate may have some positive impact.
I also can not totally agree with you, Valdas, that the Soviet-inspired 'nomenclature' here has 'hijacked' Lithuania's development. It was rather the freedom movement Sajudis that 20 years ago was able to take over the ship from the Soviet nomenclature that until then had ruled Lithuania. Unfortunately, it soon turned out that the new crew was too young and inexperienced to get the ship on a steady course towards the west as the plan had been. This was further exacerbated when the new crew's intended pilot, Stasys Lozoraitis did not reach up when the Lithuanians in 1993 held its first presidential election, and then died so tragically just a year after. The Sajudis' barricade-captain who became famous when he gathered his people to quietly protests over the mighty Soviet power in 1991, quickly gained reputation for being too intellectual and artistic to be able to steer the ship, and even his own crew began gradually to mismatch in all directions.
As is well known, the winner of the election in 1993 was the former Communist leader Algirdas Brazauskas, who apparently let the ship continue its course towards the west, but now in a rather leisurely pace. The reduced speed gave the ship’s former owners a good opportunity to come aboard to destroy all the old log books, and it also gave the new captain and his closest officers plenty of time to fill their pockets with different gems and precious stones from the many dinghies around that needed the mother ship's favour. A lot of the originally small vessels learned quickly how they could grow at the expense of other small boats, and they also learned how much they had to pay to the mother ship's officers to look the other way when the smaller vessels were robbed. 

The Sajudis crew who had represented so much of hope of a steady course and a better future for Lithuania in 1990-91 became older and disillusioned, with ever-new factions and officers. None of them succeeded in convincingly show their abilities to take over management of the ship, while the nomenclature crew on the other hand used the time well to take positions and places that they retain to this day. Still, the ship and the fleet around it proceeded slowly forwards, until finally also the nomenclature captain reached the age of retirement. None of his former top officers convinced as he had done.

Then came the year 2008, and the ship again got a captain and a crew with roots in the original Sajudis crew. Unfortunately for them, the wind had increased sharply exactly when they took over, and they have since been forced to fight a terrible storm that still has not settled. Many small boats, especially the oldest and weakest ones, have already capsized and disappeared in the waves, often because the mother ship has not provided them with fuel and provisions but rather has sought to rescue the mother ship.  Fortunately, there has during this time been more experienced larger vessels and fleets from Western countries nearby, and many ask themselves today why the new crew of the Lithuanian mother ship has not been much more willing to ask for help and supplies from these even when the number of small boats that capsized was tragically high. Meanwhile the old ship owners have taken advantage of the situation by seemingly reaching out a helping hand to many of those who already 20 years ago doubted whether Sajudis' route to the west was the best choice.
But the journey is not over, so maybe there is still hope for a steady course and an open attitude from the now one year old crew to learn from and seek help and assistance from more advanced ships and barges farther west and to work hard to develop leadership skills and attitudes that can make a true change to the better for the people of Lithuaniar?

13 January 1991 was a day of triumph for Sajudis, why not pick up the baton?
Aage

Dear Aage

I have found your article and the responses I have seen so far  quite fascinating.

At first I wondered why you had written it. Generally you are writing to an expat communtity and are we a force for change or does hope spring eternal?

But on reflection I can see the merit of such a discussion.

I have worked and lived here for only some 10 years, rathes less than you. Ten years ago I was hugely concerned that amongst the 3 Baltic States Lithuania was the most entrenched in its old ways and the most reluctant to change. But I still fought hard to preserve my firms‘s investment and continuing investment in Lithuania as one day „they would get it right“.

Sadly 10 years on “they“ have not and my initial fears have proved right. Yes, professional firms (such as my own former firm) have managed some reasonable growth and pretty marginal profitability but no where near the advancement that should have been possible. But the culture of political governance has changed very little if at all. And this has constrained the development of a proactive and sustainable business culture.

Lithuania is short of natural resources (apart from timber and fresh water). Its main potential economic resource is its people. And if properly lead by quality politicians, good business leaders  and a forward thinking educational system that could mean a lot. Lithuanians have a reputation as being hard working and diligent. But sadly their reputation as “ëntrepreneurs“ is better known as thieves of one sort or another.

What is lacking is LEADERSHIP.

I speak of political leadership which cares for the development of the country rather than politicians‘ own wallets. (Just look at the energy crisis now facing the country. This was forseeable at least 10 years ago. Various solutions were proposed THEN but no action taken – probably because political leaders could not agree on how to share out the “goodies“.)

I have spoken to many people (including my wife!) with strong political views (with which I may or not agree – but that is not the point). But when I say why don‘t you get diretly involved in politics? They wan‘t no part of it – the political system has no credibility.

In terms of business leadership of Lithuanian companies, with a very few exceptions, I see a serious lack of role models for the budding entrepreneur. The young people I speak to do not see any future in joining a Lithuanian company  as a route to developing a career. They would prefer to look overseas. And I also see the major shareholders of successful Lithuanian companies uprooting their investments away from Lithuania as they do not see their future potential as being encouraged here.

I am also concerned that the educational system is weak in terms of its business training . I come from the UK and was Treasurer of a significant university and on the Board of a major business school. We strived for good involvement of businesses from all spheres (banking to manufacturing, Japanese, German, even American) and generally achieved it. My attempts in Lithuania fell on deaf years.

So Aage, I generally agree with your sentiments and those of some of your respondents.

You are short on solutions as I think are most of us who care about Lithuania, especially in the short term. But the long term requires strong, ethical and transparent leaders in all aspects of political and business life. Where will we find them?

I would welcome any comments.

Good luck!

Hugh Tomas, Vilnius (British)

Former Senior Partner of PriceWaterhouseCoopers

Lithuania’s way of treating their people living abroad (VilNews 13 January)

I am one of those Lithuanians whose family emigrated to the United States in the aftermath of World War II. My parents sent us to Lithuanian school every Saturday, so that we grew up reading, writing, and speaking the language fluently. This makes my trips to Lietuva so much more pleasant. I can relate to my cousins, I can make new friends, and I appreciate the history. On one of my visits to Lietuva, I noted that there is a definite prejudice against American-Lithuanians such as myself. You noted that the indigenous Lithuanian people need to appreciate what the diaspora has done in terms of raising support and goodwill worldwide. I wholeheartedly agree, and I appreciate your opinions.

Viso gero,

Jurate Burns, Destin Florida USA (American-Lithuanian)

Destin Library Director

Dear Jurate,

Sorry to hear, but as I said in my comment article;

‘One of Lithuania's most prominent human resources is undoubtedly the country's large diasporas around the globe, groups of people and their descendants who left their mother country because of war, difficult economic conditions, political persecution, etc. These diaspora groups are in my view too little listened to or consulted from the Lithuanian authorities, which is very sad for a nation that so desperately needs all possible support and assistance from the hundreds of thousands who still have Lithuania in their hearts.’

Let’s see what we can do to change this kind of attitude from authorities and common people here…

Aage