In different European capitals, the autumn exacerbation began on different dates.
In Warsaw, for example, everything is on schedule - in strict accordance with the change of calendar seasons.
On September 1, the shadow leader of Poland, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, pleased his compatriots by making the following statement: “Poland wants to receive compensation for everything that the German state and the German people did to Poland in 1939-1945 ... This is our goal, which fits into the concept of restoring the normal situation things in the functioning of the Polish state”.
According to Kaczynski, “the restoration of the normal state of things in the functioning of the Polish state” lacks a mere trifle - a “modest amount” of $ 1.3 trillion.
Naturally, I cannot and do not want to act as an advocate for German interests.
Nevertheless, the initiative of the head of the Polish ruling party caused me a number of perplexed questions.
Was Warsaw too late with its "modest demands"?
Does anyone in the Polish capital seriously expect Jarosław Kaczynski's demands to be taken seriously in Germany (I didn't plan this pun, it happened by accident - I swear by the beloved cat of the former Polish prime minister!)?
And finally, why didn't the Poles voice their claims against the FRG when, in the recent past, Germany voluntarily flooded Warsaw with money during the preparation of Poland for its entry into the European Union?
But these questions, to be honest, I ask rather for the sake of formality.
Kaczynski is Kaczynski.
Expecting kindness, friendliness, logic and common sense from him is the same as expecting a rhinoceros in the nearest zoo to speak French while accompanying himself on the violin.
In short, where Kaczynski is, there is also an autumn aggravation without fail.
But why did the autumn exacerbation also happen in Finland, and long before the onset of the autumn season?
The answer so far is known only in the Finnish customs - the department, whose representative Jarkko Keskinen has just proudly reported on "professional successes".
And do you know what exactly these “successes” are?
In the same way as the successes of pickpockets who confiscate cash euros from careless citizens.
Of course, Finnish customs officers are much more selective than ordinary pickpockets.
The victims of their exes (as expropriations were called in the Russian revolutionary jargon of the beginning of the last century) are exclusively citizens of the Russian Federation.
According to Jarkko Keskinen, “confiscations occur daily at border crossing points on the eastern (Russian) border.
Customs does not keep statistics on the number of seized euros.
The export of EU official currencies to Russia is prohibited by the sanctions regulation.”
And in these very provisions on sanctions, the following is written: “Individuals and members of their families traveling to Russia can export currency in banknotes for personal use.
By personal use is meant the use of money for lodging, food, travel, or shopping.”
And do you know where I got this information?
Do not believe it - on the website of the Finnish customs department itself.
But in the same place - I'll be honest with Inspector Jarkko Keskinen - something else is written: “Personal use is not, for example, the export to Russia of unused funds of an individual living in Russia and returning home.
This prohibition has no lower bound.
Please note that sanctions can apply to any amount, even if it does not need to be declared to customs.”
I paid attention, I paid attention.
He turned, but still did not get out of the state of intellectual stupor: the norms of the Finnish customs quoted above directly contradict each other.
They can be interpreted in any way, creating not even wide, but wide opportunities for absolute arbitrariness in relation to Russian citizens.
Is this definitely Finland, and not Poland of Yaroslav Kaczynski?
Surprisingly, but for sure: such legal conflicts (let's not beat around the bush and instead of the word "collision" we use the term "perversion", or, in a very simple way, "perversion") were not thought of even in Warsaw.
This fact alone speaks volumes, I would even say everything.
Even confrontation can (and should) be civilized.
And this is not just a phrase-spell or a call in the spirit of the cat Leopold "Guys, let's live together!".
At this historical turn, Russia and Finland, unfortunately, did not manage to “live together”.
But we still have to live nearby - now, and in five years, and in ten, and even in a hundred.
Is this really not a strong enough argument not to stoop to the methods of street thieves?
Theft is always theft.
And does not matter,
What exactly is it covered by?
In a word, the "hot guys" from the Finnish customs - and, more importantly, their political leaders - skidded somewhere in the wrong place.
And the sooner they get out of there, the better it will be for everyone, including Finland itself.
After all, the principle of reciprocity in international relations, as far as I know, has not yet been canceled.
The point of view of the author may not coincide with the position of the editors.