Optimistic news from the midst of crisis: his name is Bruno Medveckis, is about forty years old, has bold head and real azbuka tatoo on his left hand and is not smiling. He drives taxi in Riga and speaks in one words. "Ponjal," said in Russian beign said address. "Understand."
But he did not understand and went to other place. When we clarified where I want to go, he has switched off taxameter and he drove to right place, switching taxameter properly during drive at place where he should go if he understood properly earlier. He was driving like crazy, very quickly, so my appointment was not so late. Price was ok, therefore I was shocked comparing Bruno's service with his Prague's colleagues.
Latvia has new government, which will try to save country. Estonia's Prime Minister has announced that introduction of euro is possible next year and Lithuania's politicians are fighting againts rumours about devaluation. Three Baltic countries with three open and formerly skyrocketing economies are approaching crisis differently, because of policies of their elites during last twenty years.
It is kind of model for all Europe. Even we are in the EU, our problems are slightly different. We like to consider ourselves Central, not Eastern Europe. Latvia has 15th government since regaining independence in 1991. Cuts in budget will be very painful, people got used to high standards (and loans). The same with Estonians, but difference is that - even in Estonia governments are changing quite rapidly - there is wider "economical" consensus on what is right to do. This is why Estonia has special fund from better times and no prospect of bancruptcy, even also Estonian budget is cutting for ten percent.
Baltics are kind of experimental model for the rest of EU. Flat tax, quick growth, open economies, now deep fall. Different nations, different approaches. I would wish success to all of them, their countries are very nice, but political style and leadership is totally different - and also chances to succeed in times of crisis.
New prime minister Valdis Dombrovskis has told me just hard words about future cuts and that he is prepared to be very unpopular politician (see video here). Mood is gloomy among Latvians.
But hope survives even in Latvia, where now many people just shut their mouthes and they are counting (falling) salaries and (almost nonexistent) savings and they try to figure out how to survive crisis storm.
This is why: When I was leaving Riga to airport at very early in the morning, hotel receptionist ordered taxi. Guess who was waiting for me at 4,30 a.m.. Bruno. He did not smiled, just put my suitcase in car. I put a safety belt and I was regretting that I got up so early. Normal time to Riga's airport is about half an hour, Bruno made it in fifteen minutes. And for half price of what I had paid three days earlier coming to Riga during late night flight.
The trust, the most questioned economic virtue of this global crisis, the belive that Latvians's entrepeneurial spirits survives, has remained in my head as well as business card with Bruno's mobile number in my pocket. Next time going to Riga, I call Bruno in advance.
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Thank you Martin for relating your uplifting personal experience in Riga.
Unfortunately some of us that visit Latvia at times lump its citizens in one category, positive or negative, depending on their personal experiences.
I too, like you, rather dwell on the good and surprising moments of my visits.
News media reporting should be truthful and factual but unfortunately its not always so because it can be biased and slanted to suit the writer.
Lately I turn to bloggers to get the real feel of a situation reported by the media.
Again, thank you for taking the time and sharing this little moment in your travels to Latvia.
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