Eolika, Latvia’s answer to ABBA, releases 30th anniversary album

A collection of hit songs by Eolika, once called Latvia’s answer to Swedish pop superstars ABBA, has been released in Rīga as the foursome marks its 30th anniversary.

Formed in 1980 by composer Boriss Rezņiks, Eolika consists of singers Olga Rajecka, Ilona Stepānova, Dainis Dobelnieks and Viktors Zemgals. The group was known throughout the Soviet Union and drew thousands to its concerts, according to a press release from recording company MICREC.

One of Eolika’s most memorable concerts took place in Afghanistan when the quartet sang for Baltic troops who were part of the Soviet invasion of that country.

The quartet was most active from 1980-1986. Rajecka in 1986 left to join Turaides roze, a project organized by composer Imants Kalniņš. Within a few years, Eolika dissolved, according to MICREC, only to reunite in 1996 to tour and release an album of its classics.

This year, the quartet has reunited again to mark its anniversary with a tour around Latvia. One highlight of the tour will be an Aug. 30 show in the Dzintari Concert Hall in Jūrmala.

The anniversary compact disc is titled simply Jubilejas izlase. Songs on the album include:

  1. Pasaule, pasaulīt
  2. Tava atnākšana
  3. Zemeņu lauks
  4. Es neesmu Džeina Fonda
  5. Mežrozīte
  6. Raimonda Paula dziesmu popūrijs
  7. Noktirne
  8. Lielā zive
  9. Maziņš papagailis
  10. Salamandra
  11. Karavāna
  12. Pienenīte
  13. Zem saules vai mēness
  14. Kā es gaidīju
  15. Vēl tu vari
  16. Meitene no sapņa
  17. Lūgums
  18. Šajā brīdī

The last three tracks—“Meitene no sapņa”, “Lūgums” and “Šajā brīdī”—are new songs released this year. All the others have been previously released.

For more on Eolika’s anniversary tour, visit the group’s website, eolika.lv.

Eolikas sastāvs

Eolika consists of (left to right) Ilona Stepānova, Dainis Dobelnieks, Viktors Zemgals and Olga Rajecka. (Publicity photo)

Eolikas jubilejas albums

Eolika’s 30th anniversary album is called Jubilejas izlase.

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.

Newsweek ranks Latvia 36th in list of world’s 100 ‘best’ countries

Latvia ranks 36th in a list of the world’s 100 “best” countries compiled by Newsweek magazine. The list considers a country’s health, education, economy and politics.

Although scoring in the upper half of the list, Latvia is behind its Baltic neighbors, Estonia (ranking 32nd overall) and Lithuania (34th).

According to an explanation of the list written by Rana Foroohar, a deputy editor for the U.S.-based magazine, “In Newsweek’s first-ever Best Countries special issue, we set out to answer a question that is at once simple and incredibly complex—if you were born today, which country would provide you the very best opportunity to live a healthy, safe, reasonably prosperous, and upwardly mobile life?”

The magazine examined metrics in five categories: education, health, quality of life, economic competitiveness and political environment. In each category, a country could receive up to 100 points. While Latvia fares relatively well in education, with a score of 89.56 to rank 25th on that measure alone, its poorest showing s in the area of economic dynamism, with a score of 43.86 to rank 53rd.

Topping the list is Finland, followed by Switzerland and Sweden. Australia ranks fourth overall, Canada is seventh and the United States comes in 11th. Germany is 12th, followed by the United Kingdom at 14th. Russia ranks 51st. At the bottom of the list is Burkina Faso.

The magazine’s report was published Aug. 15 on its website, www.newsweek.com.

British police identify woman, mother, stabbed to death in London

British authorities have identified a woman from Latvia who was found stabbed to death on an East London street, as well as her mother, whose body was found in their burning home.

Meanwhile, a man who was reportedly the woman’s estranged husband was also found in the home and taken to a hospital, where his condition is listed as stable. He has been placed under arrest, according to the Metropolitan Police of London.

The woman has been identified as 40-year-old Svetlana Zolotovska, according to an Aug. 16 Metropolitan Police press release. She was found on Stansfield Road the morning of Aug. 12 with stab wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen. Zolotovska was pronounced dead at the scene.

Her mother, 70-year-old Antonia Belska, was found on the ground floor of their burning home on Leamouth Road after officers were led to the address upon making inquiries, according to the Metropolitan Police. Belska died from stab wounds to the chest and abdomen.

A search of the home found a 42-year-old man, identified in British media reports as Zolotovska’s estranged husband Sergei Zolotovsky, in the loft area of the home. He had numerous injuries and had apparently attempted suicide.

Zolotovsky, a self-employed engineer originally from Latvia, has been reported to authorities at least four times over domestic disturbances, British media reported.

The couple was going through divorce proceedings, but were in a dispute over the house, according to British media reports.

The Zolotovskys had moved to the United Kingdom eight years ago, British media reported. Belska had arrived three months ago to stay with her daughter, police said.

Police are continuing their investigation and are asking for the public’s assistance.

“We know the younger victim left her address in east London at 07:20 hours to walk to work,” Detective Chief Inspector Phil Rickells said. “She was attacked at the bus stop in Stansfeld Road. We have traced several witnesses but would like to speak to anyone who may have been in the area at that time.”

A pair of Metropolitan Police officers have traveled to Latvia to pursue the investigation, according to London’s Evening Standard newspaper.

Andris Straumanis is a special correspondent for and a co-founder of Latvians Online. From 2000–2012 he was editor of the website.