For many citizens of former communist countries, the accession to the EU and NATO seemed to initiate a definite safe return into the "Western" world, both socio-economically, politically and existentially.
This is especially true for the Baltic countries, which are small, close to Russia, and which have been part of the USSR.
However, it has been largely ignored by many politicians and media in most of these countries, that membership of NATO and the EU are not necessarily inseparable, and retain very different implications and consequences.
This false association has especially been detrimental to the Baltic countries, Slovakia and Slovenia, where citizens were requested to vote for or against EU- and NATO-membership at the same occasion, on the 1st of May 2004. For the Baltic countries, EU-membership has had the consequence of being forced to cut the economic ties with their former Soviet associates, like Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
Suddenly they were left without the markets for their products, and with the historic transport routes across their eastern borders being blocked.
For Lithuania, even most of the southern border got blocked, due to Kaliningrad.
Furthermore, there was the consequence of agreeing to close down the nuclear power station in Ignalina.
Of course, this is a necessary step for obvious safety reasons.
However, no consideration was given to the fact that almost 70 percent of the electricity used in the Baltic countries is generated at that plant (for Lithuania, it's even more then 80 percent), and that it may take several years to find substitute sources.
The term dictated by Brussels was very rigid: By the end of 2009 it has to be closed down.
Additionally, no funds were made available to invest in a newer, safer plant, nor for the developing of alternative energy sources.
As a result of this, the Baltic countries will be completely dependent on fossil fuel imports from the year 2010.
With the oil price skyrocketing, this is already a gloomy prospect.
The doom gets further amplified by the fact, that the main supplier of these fossil fuels is likely going to be Russia.
This will mean that the citizens of the Baltic countries will have the "choice" between paying high bills and becoming dependent on Russia once more, or freezing in cold homes.
Those who know the Baltic winters will understand the painful dilemma posed here.
But the core of the threat has not been touched yet.
Poland, which had been chosen by the Bush administration as the country to host an anti-ballistic-missile system, has had a change of government since last autumn.
The new government of Donald Tusk has been smart enough to question the need of this system, as well as to inquire about the benefits for Poland.
This system, which is supposedly planned as a defense against a nuclear-armed Iran, has provoked the Russian government, to the extent, that Putin even threatened that Poland could become a direct aim of the Russian missile system.
The benefits for Poland for hosting this system: None!
Now Bush, facing the last months of his presidency, wants to hurry his project, and has chosen Lithuania as an alternative host country.
The Lithuanian government already said "yes" to this plan, without even asking their own citizens.
In Poland, Russia, Sweden, Holland, Germany etc, newspapers have written about it already.
In Lithuania, as far as I've heard, no paper one has mentioned it yet.
One can only shiver by the thoughts of the consequences this will have for Lithuania. For sure, Putin will cut the oil supply, which will mean very cold winters.
It could even mean worse, if McCain wins the elections and a new cold war continues or even escalates.
A public debate in Lithuania about this decision is necessary, so that the citizens know what is being decided over their heads, and so that this catastrophic plan can be stopped.
It has to be done soon, before it's too late!!!
Yours sincerely,
