Kazakhstan's lesson for Latvia - when you can't pay for electricity and heat, respirators won't save the day

The rising cost of energy is a global problem that affects all countries - the price of everything that involves gas, fuel, electricity is rising.

This is causing problems for people. They have to think about what to do - buy food or pay the bills. There is not enough for both.

One of the first countries to burst is Kazakhstan. This country is no rural backwater. Kazakhstan is the pioneer of Central Asia - incomparably more prosperous than Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, let alone Afghanistan. People from neighboring countries go to Kazakhstan because there they see opportunities for work and business.

The system of government in that country is something approximating what you might call an "enlightened monarchy." In the 30 years since Kazakhstan's independence, the country has managed to remain free of ethnic conflict, even though there are more than 100 ethnic groups. Well, there may have been squabbling, but not so loud as to be noticed by the world.

From a European point of view, the Kazakh habit of idolizing the head of state may seem strange. But it is acceptable to Kazakhs - most of them, especially the older ones, do indeed refer to their former President as the Leader of the Nation without irony. That is what they think and that is what they say. I hardly think that there is any reason for others to go in there and start lecturing them.

Former President Nursultan Nazarbayev has gone a bit to the side, giving the floor to his successor, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. For the time being Nazarbayev is still the real head of state, but he is concerned about succession and what will happen when he passes away. Tokayev, if I understand correctly, is a candidate who satisfies Nazarbayev.

In Kazakhstan, the price of gas has risen by some 20%. This angered the public. On this wave, the country's southern clans, who do not like Nazarbayev's rule, have stirred up the people to protest. The protests are unlikely to result in anything more serious this time. It remains to be seen what will happen in the future.

It is not known what will happen elsewhere in the world - including in Europe and Latvia. There are fears that energy prices here will rise even more harshly than in Kazakhstan.

Let us hope that the events in Kazakhstan will wake up the leaders of Latvia and other European countries from their Covid obsession. Latvia's leaders must understand that when there is no money to pay for electricity and heat, respirators will not save the day. Then they must divert resources to support their own people and stop gilding the Covid-corrupt businesses.

I do not want to say that the problem here can escalate to the level of Kazakhstan. But well, Kazakhstan was also unexpected. Competely unpredicted.