Galery

1

Yes, and not only that. Many other outrageous things remain outside media attention. Violations of human rights in Russia are hardly mentioned. However, it is not commented that it is practically impossible to protest in any occasion and manner in today's Russia. Even if you open an umbrella on the street, you risk being dragged into a van, get arrested and beaten.

Because you have opened an umbrella?

That’s right. Recently, a group of people participated in a flash mob with open umbrellas and were brutally arrested, tossed and dragged down the street. You can imagine the severity of violence, since the police broke the legs of an elderly Frenchwoman during this action.

And what did the action support?

It supported a Russian TV channel - "Rain", which was forced to apologize, because journalists asked the completely reasonable question whether a million and a half residents of Leningrad needed to die during the siege of the city during the war?

Numerous protest letters from outraged groups followed this event... How can the victory be "belittled" in this way? But what's so scary about asking questions and what's wrong with polemics?

People have the right to know why children, women and old men were not evacuated from Leningrad, since there was a week before the siege tightened from all sides. Stalin needed only 24 hours in order to deport the entire Chechen people, but he could not evacuate people from the besieged city.

Moreover, pensions of people who could not stay in the besieged city for at least 120 days were stopped. But after 120 days, they were dead. However, asking questions not only about the present but even about the past, proved dangerous in Russia and now the daring TV channel will be closed. And the people who came out to support TV "Rain" with a flash mob, opening umbrellas were brutally arrested. Because they opened umbrellas on the street!

Therefore, those politicians and royals who dared to go to the opening of the Winter Olympics in Sochi despite criticism in their country have disgraced themselves. And nothing can wash away their shame.

Bulgarian Prime Minister Oresharski also went to the opening ceremony of the Olympics.

Yes, and President Plevneliev is thinking of attending the closing ceremony.

There is yet another especially shocking thing - the Prime Minister of Bulgaria, who attended the ceremony, which seemed to have taken us back to the Soviet Union, did not say anything at all in protest of the fact that the Cyrillic alphabet was promoted at the opening... as a Russian achievement.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, who was criticized in his country because he went to Sochi, was at least forced to “read the Riot Act” to Russian President Putin on human rights and it was broadcast on television. But it was also broadcast how the Russian dictator, quite inexplicably red, replied cynically that it was better for "both sides" to forget "aggression" and enjoy the sport.

There is no excuse and there cannot be any excuse for politicians who ignored moral principles and went to Sochi. The significant Dutch delegation consisting of a King, a Queen, a Prime Minister and a Minister of Sport was a great disappointment. Especially against the background of the leaders of Germany, France, Belgium, the UK and the USA, who announced that they will not go to Sochi. The President of Lithuania directly said that she was not going to Sochi for political reasons.

The position of Sweden was particularly praiseworthy. Sports Minister Lena Adelsohn Liljeroth directly said: "It is even worse than I thought. Just awful. Of course I will not go to Sochi. The Games are an opportunity for Putin and his regime to show off. I do not want to participate in this."

Follow Maria S. Topalova on Twitter