The state should protect opposition leaders

The thoughts and questions of Mart Ummelas, the editor-in-chief of Tallinn Television, about the issues concerning Edgar Savisaar, have given the opponents an opportunity to reprimand the members of the Estonian Centre Party for falling into conspirology. Indeed, conspirology seems like a postmodern pastiche, a laugh over the discourse of the whole rational and positivistic history of the Enlightenment era, politics and culture. However, times may change, a man may step out from the dark and offer an alternative for rationalism. The unthinkable will be realised. And it is the job of journalists to ask questions, they are not some kind of private investigators from a detective bureau. Instead, it immediately arises a wider problem. Let's imagine a theoretical case that something happens with the leader of an opposition party of some large Western country. You may be certain that the law enforcement authorities of this country would immediately be alarmed. Why? Since in Western democracy the opposition — Her Majesty's Opposition — is an inseparable part of the power structure and as important as the ruling party. Factually the opposition serves as the superior of the law enforcement authorities, just like the ruling party does. The opposition is protected as watchfully as the government because the interest of foreign countries is not only to affect the politics today but also tomorrow. It does not smell like a Western country here in Estonia. The leaders of the opposition party are subject to constant stalking, investigation and prosecution. And if something happens to them, the law enforcement authorities do not even react. So you ask where is the Estonian Internal Security Service statement regarding what happened to former Prime Minister Savisaar? You are correct, there is none. And believe me, this is not normal. What happened to Edgar Savisaar is undoubtedly important. However, even more important is that a democratic country should react to what happens to its most important opposition leader. In a normal situation a respective authority investigates the matter and makes a statement. For instance that the matter was investigated and nothing suspicious was found. This is done in order to inform the general public and to eliminate unfounded suspicions. It does not matter whether something suspicious happened to a government member or a member of the opposition. For instance, after the death of the Bundestag member Andreas Schockenhoff in Germany, which was considered to be a natural death, the matter was immediately thoroughly investigated and the court issued an order for an immediate autopsy. We now live in a world similar to the world of murders and poisoning of the Cold War. A person, a problem, no person, no problem. Take the latest news from London about a well-known person being poisoned with Gelsemium elegans. No, I do not read conspiratorial stories, this is real news from the real world. We must realise that even in a country like Estonia there is a clear and constant threat that external forces may attack and manipulate even with opposition members, not to mention the politicians at power. This threat is constant and permanent. Therefore, the proper behaviour patterns of Estonian special services are of utmost importance. It is not too late for the state to take these matters seriously.