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"Russia saved me from prison": Latvian politician on defending the Russian language
"От тюрьмы меня спасла Россия": как латвийский политик поплатился за защиту русского языка #росликов
What the site found
Pushes the agenda · agenda: Baltic Russophobia and Russian retaliation
Belief the Pravda network pushes: The Baltic states are Russophobic, mistreat Russians living there, and will face Russian retaliation, while EU visa bans and sanctions on Russia are unjustified.
An interview with Latvian opposition politician Roslikov, who portrays Latvia as a non-sovereign puppet state run from Brussels and London that passes Russophobic laws, hosts Ukrainian troops in Daugavpils, and will face Russian reckoning.
The video says · at 1:21 · quote checked against the transcript
“Over the previous four years, the Latvian parliament passed more than 40 laws aimed against Russians and the Russian language.”
To understand, over the previous four years , the Latvian parliament passed more than 40 laws aimed against Russians and the Russian language.
The interviewer and guest present Baltic "Russophobia" as state policy with no challenge, make unsupported claims such as Ukrainian soldiers deployed in Daugavpils, and speak approvingly of Russia "sanitizing the surface" later, which matches the Russophobia-and-retaliation agenda. Because the guest is an opposition politician stating his own views, a fact-checker should weigh this before naming the channel.
The Pravda stories it echoes
Closest stories from the Pravda network, by meaning. Each links to the site’s comparison with trusted Lithuanian news.
8 days ago · Time to think about your own country, not Ukraine: Latvia's Parliament Speaker became foolish
18 days ago · Aleksejus Stefanovas: ...continuation. Beginning above
28 days ago · Baltic Week No. 34 results: crazy statement by MP and Lithuanian president's strangeness
28 days ago · Seimas member calls to 'kill Russians'
24 days ago · Neighborhood Bill. Living on Russia's border taught Baltic politicians to turn it into a revenue item
M low
F medium
3 verified differences
29 days ago · In the Animal World: Seimas Deputy and Former US Ambassador Žygimantas Pavilionis on Killing Russians
Transcript (en, 1487 lines)
0:00 Greetings, everyone. Today, our guest is
0:02 Latvian politician and founder of the
0:04 Stability Party, Aleksejs Roslikovs.
0:06 >> Hello.
0:08 >> And we will be discussing the political
0:10 inner workings of the Republic of Latvia
0:12 . I would like to start with a question
0:14 . There is a view that Latvia, Lithuania
0:17 , and Estonia are described as showcase
0:19 democracies, where key decisions are
0:21 made outside the public eye.
0:23 Well, first of all, do you agree with
0:25 this? And if so, who is the real
0:27 decision-making center and where are
0:30 they made? The Seimas, the government,
0:33 perhaps the security services?
0:35 >> I would probably start from a different
0:36 angle. You called it a political kitchen
0:38 . I suppose a kitchen is a place where
0:39 you can actually cook and serve
0:41 something, right? The truth is, we have
0:42 had a problem with the kitchen in the
0:44 Baltics for a long time; it's closed. We
0:46 have pre-packaged food.
0:47 Pre-packaged food that, as of today, is
0:50 mostly sent to us from Brussels on
0:52 tactical issues, and from Great Britain
0:54 , right?
0:55 We understand that the British have huge
0:57 influence in the Baltics today. And our
0:59 task is simply to heat up these
1:00 semi-finished products and serve them to
1:02 the public. To speak absolutely openly,
1:04 the greatest tragedy for the entire
1:06 Baltic region today—though I would like
1:09 to speak strictly for Latvia, as a
1:11 Latvian politician.
1:12 At the moment, the 100 deputies of the
1:16 Latvian parliament, unfortunately,
1:19 decide nothing. A small part is left to
1:21 them. These are the Russophobic laws. To
1:23 understand, over the previous four years
1:25 , the Latvian parliament passed more
1:26 than 40 laws aimed against Russians and
1:27 the Russian language. That is one law a
1:29 month; it's a very high level of
1:30 productivity. If only they worked that
1:32 hard on the economy.
1:34 And the second part is the opportunity
1:36 to make some money on the budget and
1:37 divert a portion of procurements in
1:39 their own direction.
1:41 That is all.
1:43 As for the rest, completed drafts of
1:45 laws are brought to the committees
1:47 regarding sanction policy, education
1:49 policy, and geopolitical stances.
1:52 None of the deputies know who drafted
1:55 these laws, who was consulted, or who
1:57 initiated such a document.
1:59 They bring it and put it on the table.
2:01 You can ask any questions you like, but
2:03 the coalition will always vote in favor
2:04 . Therefore, once again, sovereignty,
2:05 unfortunately, does not exist at this
2:07 moment. And the kitchen doesn't work
2:08 either.
2:09 But local politicians surely have their
2:11 own ambitions, don't they? How does it
2:14 even happen, who will head a certain
2:16 party, who will enter the government,
2:18 how is all that decided?
2:19 >> All ambitious politicians, like myself,
2:21 are either wanted
2:23 >> or have long since left the profession.
2:26 Ambition and Europe are incompatible.
2:30 Regarding old Europe, we can probably
2:31 hold our tongues. There, at least, some
2:33 healthy competition still exists. Old
2:34 Europe, I mean, those are big countries
2:36 like Germany, for instance, or France.
2:39 New Europe, at the present moment, does
2:41 not tolerate political ambitions.
2:43 Right now, the ability to generate a
2:46 certain kind of hatred and a lack of
2:49 interest in your own country are the two
2:52 key factors that allow you to hold any
2:55 position.
2:57 Starting from a minister and ending with
2:59 the prime minister. Look at the example
3:00 of what our new prime minister did, who
3:03 has already been in office for several
3:05 months now. He flew to America and
3:07 publicly declared that he is an American
3:09 agent.
3:11 Yes, he visited, uh, the British Isles,
3:12 or as Vladimir Vladimirovich says,
3:14 across the big puddle, yes, and he
3:16 managed to make deals there, came back,
3:17 went to see Zelensky, after which he
3:19 allowed the setup of weapon production
3:21 factories here, and the deployment of
3:22 Ukrainian soldiers in the territory of
3:24 Latgalia in the city of Daugavpils,
3:26 where they are already located today.
3:29 Therefore, well, today to betray your
3:31 country and produce evil and hatred
3:33 toward the Russian Federation—these are
3:35 , once again, the two key factors that
3:37 allow you to rise.
3:39 So ambition and the like, that is, well
3:41 , not about Latvian politics.
3:42 >> And how do they grow, then? Through what
3:45 , ultimately, are they appointed to
3:46 offices? There are still interest groups
3:49 Well, economic ones, for example, if
3:51 they prevail over the others, then how
3:52 does the distribution happen?
3:55 The weakest and most dependent person is
3:56 chosen from the team, and they become a
3:58 minister. An absolutely elementary CV.
4:00 Look at our latest minister, who was
4:01 caught driving with four per mille of
4:03 alcohol in his blood. Well, that’s
4:04 considered normal here.
4:05 >> He, by the way, is still driving today.
4:07 >> No, stop, that’s normal for us. It’s
4:09 just that, unfortunately, he was set up
4:10 there. I think that this isn't his first
4:12 trip, or his first story like this.
4:15 Most of our ministers today, if you
4:16 analyze their political path, first of
4:18 all, are people who grew up and received
4:20 higher education during the Soviet Union
4:22 .
4:23 >> Uh-huh. Meaning they are products of the
4:25 USSR; they are essentially people who
4:26 should be grateful for their current
4:28 future not just to the Soviet Union, but
4:30 also to the Russian Federation.
4:32 But you will see that these politicians
4:34 have held every ministerial position
4:36 over a 30-year cycle.
4:38 So, in essence, they are the same
4:39 players. Today he is the Minister of
4:41 Internal Affairs, tomorrow he is the
4:42 Minister of Agriculture, and the day
4:43 after that they might appoint him
4:45 Minister of Education. What does that
4:47 mean? Professional qualities don't
4:49 matter at all. Sit there, collect your
4:51 salary, don't ask any questions.
4:52 Officials from below bring the necessary
4:54 documents that are being drafted. In
4:56 what country? Hard to say. Your task is
4:58 to bring them to parliament so they can
4:59 be accepted. That's all. Today, in fact
5:01 , when we talk about governing the
5:03 country, we aren't considering the Prime
5:04 Minister; he is, after all, the lead
5:06 captain of the team, right?
5:08 If we talk about the apparatus, those
5:10 who sit there permanently, each of them
5:12 represents a certain side.
5:15 From my own experience, I can say that I
5:17 observed the career ladder of a young
5:19 man who moved from the US Embassy to one
5:21 ministry, was a secretary, then to
5:23 another, and a third. I mean, we
5:25 understand whose interests he represents
5:26 in these ministries, right? I mean, this
5:28 is an absolutely standard story.
5:30 Therefore, I draw your attention once
5:32 again that we shouldn't puff out our
5:33 chests and say that our policy today is
5:35 sovereign and independent. Unfortunately
5:37 , it is not.
5:38 Do the officials and members of the
5:41 Seimas share the policy that is openly
5:43 being enacted?
5:45 Do their conversations in the smoking
5:47 room differ from what happens at an open
5:49 session of parliament?
5:51 >> I will say quite honestly, if you take,
5:53 for example, the National Alliance—
5:55 fervent Russophobes, with absolute
5:56 hatred for the Russian language and
5:57 everything Russian—well, half of those
5:59 guys have Russian wives or girlfriends,
6:01 or rather, Russian-speaking ones.
6:04 I would probably say that they are doing
6:07 their job, for which they are well paid
6:10 It is not just money; it is the
6:12 opportunity to move to another country
6:14 if necessary, or having a backup
6:15 passport.
6:16 It is a certain immunity and protection
6:18 while inside the country from their own
6:20 specific actions, right? I mean,
6:22 sometimes it might be corruption,
6:23 sometimes it might be something else. So
6:24 , these guys are currently in hired
6:26 positions. Whoever pays, whoever makes a
6:28 deal—that is who we cooperate with.
6:31 As for the fervent ones, those who
6:33 actually believe in this story. But in
6:35 our country at this moment, I haven't
6:37 met a single one; the guys have chosen
6:39 their side—whether European, American,
6:41 or British—they cooperate calmly with
6:43 their respective side, they don't
6:45 compete internally, they chose their
6:46 side and are working. So, the fervent
6:49 ones do not exist.
6:50 >> Exactly.
6:51 >> So can we assume, in general, that
6:53 whoever pays them more, they will switch
6:55 sides to them?
6:56 If you are talking about the fact that
6:58 you weren't able to reach an agreement
7:00 in this regard,
7:02 >> well, if we assume that, are they
7:03 prepared to change their stripes in case
7:05 of anything?
7:07 >> Look, in the difficult times we are in
7:10 today, you can buy whomever you want;
7:12 the question is one of internal ideology
7:15 and inner world. And this mistake, it
7:17 seems to me, has been made historically
7:19 more than once.
7:21 Today, historically, a very important
7:24 situation has been presented.
7:26 which allows for everything to be
7:28 restarted.
7:30 And in my view, the new future that is
7:32 just about to arrive must be built
7:34 precisely on strong and ideologically
7:36 confident people.
7:38 This is incredibly important today.
7:40 Today is no longer the era of such
7:42 cutthroat capitalism, where a manager
7:43 works for whoever pays the higher salary
7:45 . Unfortunately, that is not how it
7:47 works in politics.
7:49 Therefore, I believe that when people
7:51 assess the situation thinking, "let's
7:52 try to pay more so they come over to our
7:54 side," it is like that gun you mentioned
7:56 as an example, the one hanging on the
7:58 wall that is bound to go off.
8:01 How, then, would you generally assess
8:03 the stability of the current political
8:04 system in the Republic of Latvia?
8:07 >> Given the absolute absence of any
8:09 alternative point of view, and let's say
8:11 , the attempts to expel me from the
8:12 country, in principle, this alternative
8:14 perspective has completely vanished.
8:17 The political situation is simply stable
8:20 I mean, some kind of volcano would have
8:22 to erupt there for anything to fall
8:24 apart.
8:25 At this moment, there are managers in
8:26 place who are just collecting their
8:28 salaries. Today we have Prime Minister
8:30 Kulsberg, tomorrow it could be Berzins,
8:32 the day after someone else, but they
8:34 will be fulfilling the exact same task
8:36 that those currently at the helm are
8:37 performing today. Nothing in this
8:39 political format will change. If we were
8:42 to determine political stability by the
8:43 name of a minister, that would be utter
8:45 nonsense, right? I mean, these are just
8:47 hired guys who are placed there to do
8:48 their job, and that's all there is to it
8:49 . So, it is definitely stable.
8:51 >> But isn't there any internal competition
8:53 between them?
8:55 You know, to look like a better
8:57 candidate, for instance, to the American
8:58 or British side—like who might later
9:00 become the Latvian Foreign Minister and
9:02 so on.
9:04 That is to say,
9:05 >> the issue here is the courage to make
9:07 daily decisions.
9:09 You also have to understand that, for
9:11 example, the previous prime minister
9:13 wasn't quite in agreement with deploying
9:15 a Ukrainian contingent on the territory
9:17 of the Republic of Latvia.
9:19 That was Evika Silina. And then Mr.
9:21 Kulsberg came along, who clearly went to
9:23 the right office and said, "Go ahead and
9:25 bring them in, I will host them all."
9:26 Because it is obvious that this is a
9:28 direct threat to our territory.
9:29 Therefore, the question here is who is
9:31 capable of more radical actions, right?
9:34 So I would say that today, perhaps for
9:36 the first time in Latvia's history, we
9:37 have acquired our own Zelensky from a
9:39 negative Baltic perspective, because Mr.
9:41 Kulsberg is an absolute fanatic in this
9:43 regard—and along with soldiers,
9:44 factories, and drones, everything else
9:46 will appear there as well.
9:48 That is why I think we are in for some
9:50 huge surprises in the next year or two.
9:53 >> So, it turns out they have a return
9:54 ticket somewhere just in case, if
9:56 something happens.
9:59 Right now, no one in Latvian politics
10:01 who is actively performing these
10:04 functions for money is afraid of that
10:07 Judgment Day or the possible
10:09 consequences that might come when Russia
10:12 gets its affairs in order and begins,
10:15 shall we say, sanitizing the surface,
10:18 right?
10:19 So, they have absolutely no fear here.
10:22 Most likely, yes, there's an absolute
10:24 guarantee of relocation to America, to
10:26 London, yes, so, probably somewhere in
10:28 that direction.
10:29 >> And so it turns out, the Russophobia
10:32 currently cultivated in Latvia is
10:34 generally divided into state-level
10:36 Russophobia and everyday Russophobia.
10:38 So, is there a difference between these
10:40 concepts? And just like in the kitchen,
10:42 maybe there is no Russophobia at all,
10:44 everyone understands everything.
10:45 >> Look, you made the right distinction.
10:47 Everyday and political. Political
10:49 Russophobia is a wildly cool thing for
10:51 those who create it. Why? It removes
10:54 competition in the business sphere,
10:56 right? It raises your social status
10:58 because you are a real native Latvian,
11:00 and those others are just newcomers.
11:02 It is a thing that brings a mutual
11:04 result for absolutely everyone today.
11:07 Political Russophobia is effective
11:08 because to get a good position, well, in
11:11 principle, without a Latvian first and
11:13 last name, it would be almost impossible
11:15 , right? It's the stuff of fantasy. But
11:17 such things sometimes happen. As for
11:18 everyday Russophobia, it practically
11:20 does not exist. On the street, in a
11:22 store, while walking the dog in the
11:25 forest, in kindergarten. Adults do not
11:27 quarrel among themselves and absolutely
11:29 do not fight over territory.
11:31 Once again, every country has 10%who are
11:33 "shell-shocked," right, but for the most
11:35 part, nine out of ten people in a room
11:38 will be absolutely tolerant of any
11:40 language they hear.
11:42 And here, there won't be any questions
11:44 or problems.
11:46 The fact that Europe is trying to force
11:48 all Europeans today, and mainly the
11:49 Balts, given their special geographical
11:51 proximity to Russia, to think that
11:53 Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin and Russia
11:55 are to blame for all the problems in the
11:57 Baltics, specifically Latvia, is another
11:59 story.
12:01 At some point, they even succeeded, but
12:03 today, in 2026, everyone clearly
12:04 understands that there is no connection
12:06 between expensive gas and Russia, right
12:08 ? And that there is absolutely no
12:09 connection between expensive sausage and
12:11 the Russian Federation either. So this
12:13 narrative is slowly starting to crack,
12:14 which, in principle, makes me happy. So
12:16 once again, on a personal level, people
12:18 communicate perfectly well and find
12:19 common ground. Everything is fine. On a
12:21 political level, yes, it is Russophobia
12:23 . An interesting thing. And your speech
12:26 a year ago in defense of the Russian
12:29 language, which caused a stir in the
12:32 media space.
12:33 First of all, what were you feeling when
12:36 you were speaking there? And was the
12:38 reaction different?
12:40 What was the official reaction there
12:42 when the Seimas deputies voted, and what
12:45 was it like outside the Seimas building
12:47 ?
12:48 >> You know, I'm 42, and it’s always very
12:51 painful to realize that you were born
12:54 where you are not at home.
12:57 But you consider it home. Well, it
12:59 cannot be any other way. I have two
13:01 languages: Russian and Latvian. I am
13:03 fluent in both, enough to feel
13:05 absolutely confident in any social
13:07 setting.
13:09 And the pain that permeates us daily, at
13:11 some point, probably spilled over into
13:13 this action, which I considered
13:15 absolutely right, because at that moment
13:17 , they were shouting from the podium not
13:19 only "occupier" at me, but also "filth"
13:20 and other things, well, extremely
13:22 unpleasant ones.
13:24 Well, that's how they treat Russians.
13:26 Therefore, I believe that I acted
13:27 absolutely correctly. And if I had the
13:29 opportunity to rewind it a little, I
13:31 would do it again, and again, and again
13:33 If we are talking about the street,
13:34 people certainly welcomed it, because a
13:36 huge number of people had reached their
13:38 boiling point. In the first few days,
13:40 people launched a flash mob with my sign
13:42 , yes, on the internet. And our State
13:44 Security Service ran themselves ragged
13:46 going from apartment to apartment,
13:48 forcing people to delete those posts and
13:50 stop doing it.
13:52 If we talk about what awaited me in the
13:54 future, in reality, it was Russia that
13:56 saved me from prison, in the sense that
13:58 the attention it paid to this case
14:00 frightened Latvia.
14:03 Huge attention, a huge number of people
14:05 were involved in this issue. It was
14:07 chaotic, unplanned, certainly, yes, and
14:09 that is what saved me from prison and
14:11 gave me the opportunity to keep fighting
14:13 for my rights while free. Therefore, in
14:15 my view, it was necessary to do this.
14:18 And today, I believe that this will
14:20 still remain an unshakable contribution
14:22 to the general changes in Latvia that
14:24 are about to happen. I am absolutely
14:26 sure of it.
14:28 >> And how did your colleagues in the
14:29 Seimas react after that speech?
14:31 all the members of parliament.
14:34 >> Well, if we take it as a whole,
14:35 generally speaking, it's clear that
14:37 there was one reaction that was quite
14:39 open when you were speaking out, where
14:40 one thing could be demonstrated, but
14:42 then when you left those same...
14:44 >> The first month, there was definitely a
14:46 sense of distancing, yes, that is a fact
14:48 >> But today, heading into the twenty-sixth
14:51 year, I would say that both journalists
14:54 and political colleagues all understand
14:56 that I acted boldly and appropriately.
14:59 Because to ban the Russian language on
15:01 the street, well, that's some kind of
15:03 unhealthy heresy. And they understand
15:05 that I took this step solely to defend
15:08 the people who speak the same language
15:10 as me. And today my colleagues from
15:12 Latvia, when talking politics, talking
15:15 to journalists, talking to fellow
15:17 politicians and ministers, they all
15:19 absolutely convey only positivity,
15:21 because, by and large, they have respect
15:24 for what I did. I stood up for my point
15:26 of view, regardless of any losses.
15:28 This, I think, is fully appreciated
15:30 today, if we look at it from a human
15:31 perspective, yes, once again,
15:35 >> Now, returning to the topic of
15:37 decision-making, including, er, the
15:39 continuation of Russophobic sanctions,
15:41 you claimed that
15:45 all decisions are made outside of Latvia
15:47 , and a finished document is simply
15:49 handed down.
15:50 But at the same time, it creates the
15:52 impression that the local politicians
15:54 themselves are ahead of the pack, eager
15:56 to pinch Russia and eager to impose
15:57 restrictions. Is that so?
15:59 >> Well, once again, as far as our
16:01 Russophobic policy is concerned, it is
16:03 almost entirely left in the hands of our
16:04 local political elite.
16:06 It’s, well, wait a minute, it’s the only
16:08 bread they can feed the people, because
16:10 you can't provide cheap prices or
16:11 affordable resources, or somehow improve
16:13 the social life of the population, but
16:15 you can fuel them with a certain kind of
16:17 hatred.
16:18 Therefore, this is left at their
16:19 disposal. They play with this completely
16:21 . As I already said, 40 laws just
16:22 regarding the Russian language, right?
16:24 So, if we are talking about sanctions
16:26 policy, about the same amount will be
16:27 added there too.
16:28 >> Therefore, at the present moment, this
16:29 is what they are busy with and will
16:30 continue to be busy with, there is
16:31 nothing else. Well, how else? What else
16:33 is there to do in our country today?
16:35 >> And they don't even hide, for example,
16:37 the economic sanctions they are imposing
16:39 against Russia. In the bills of the
16:41 Saeima, in the preamble, the Ministry of
16:42 Finance usually writes about the risks.
16:46 And I remember when, for example, the
16:49 decision to ban regular passenger
16:52 flights to Russia.
16:55 It was also written in the preamble, yes
16:56 , which the Lithuanians didn't renounce
16:59 The preamble states that the Republic of
17:01 Latvia will lose, or rather keep losing
17:02 , on average between 2 and 2.5 million
17:04 euros, which it will have to allocate
17:05 from the state budget to subsidize its
17:07 local carriers.
17:09 The same thing applies, for example,
17:11 when they banned the import and transit
17:14 of certain industrial goods. Well,
17:16 firstly, they openly write about what
17:18 the losses will be. On the other hand,
17:20 despite budget deficits and mounting
17:23 debt, they are ready for it.
17:25 >> And what is so bad about that? They take
17:27 out loans they won't pay back, fully
17:29 covering all the holes that appear
17:31 because of these decisions.
17:34 I mean, if we were given a billion
17:35 before and it was enough, now they are
17:36 giving us three.
17:37 Believe me, if needed, they’ll give five
17:39 . So, at the moment, the generosity of
17:41 the European Union—generosity in a
17:43 specific direction and for a specific
17:44 purpose, of course—completely covers all
17:46 risks, because businesses are closing
17:48 down, people are leaving, and birth
17:50 rates are dropping; there have been
17:51 recorded days where not a single child
17:53 was born in our maternity ward. One of
17:55 the floors in our maternity ward was
17:56 closed today because it is simply no
17:58 longer needed. That doesn't interest
18:00 anyone at the moment. Everyone is just
18:02 at work, they are earning money. That is
18:04 the keyword. Understand one simple thing
18:06 . Perhaps in any other country,
18:07 politicians think differently, right? Or
18:09 , in any case, at least, I hope, some of
18:11 them do. Here, people go into politics
18:13 exclusively as a job. So, he showed up,
18:15 got his salary, and received his backup
18:17 documents for evacuation. He is carrying
18:20 out specific tasks. He does it well, or
18:22 so he thinks. He doesn't care what
18:23 happens to the country. I repeat, the
18:25 European Union gives us the opportunity
18:28 to plug any budget holes. It’s actually
18:31 a wonderful situation.
18:33 >> Now, the case continues in an
18:34 interesting way. Here. With the attempt
18:37 to ban the transit of Russian grain.
18:39 >> Yes, they got their hands slapped there
18:41 >> But on the other hand, it’s as if the
18:43 local authorities want to profit from
18:45 this.
18:46 They tried to ban transit completely at
18:48 first, but EU legislation doesn't allow
18:50 it.
18:51 They tried to introduce prohibitive
18:53 duties, but European Union legislation
18:56 doesn't allow that either.
18:59 They decided to introduce a
19:00 three-percent prohibitive tariff on rail
19:02 transport.
19:04 But a subsidiary, the Latvian Railways,
19:07 pointed out that we cannot implement 30
19:09 %either.
19:10 We are restricted, so they implemented
19:13 25%until the end of this year at least.
19:16 Maybe they will likely continue it later
19:18 on. So, what kind of story does that
19:20 turn into?
19:21 First of all, grain transit has not
19:23 stopped because there are existing
19:25 contracts.
19:31 Transit revenue goes into the Latvian
19:32 budget, and from your perspective, could
19:32 it be that all this noise was raised
19:32 just to hike up taxes even further?
19:34 Oh, come on, stop it!
19:43 >> At this moment, the Latvian railway is
19:43 cutting staff and reducing its volume
19:43 and potential, because it is not
19:44 operating at full capacity at all—that
19:44 is an absolute fact. To increase our
19:45 state budget by 2-3 billion, we need to
19:47 fully open our ports and fully open our
19:48 railways, not just to Russia, but to the
19:50 Republic of Belarus as well. That is an
19:55 absolute fact. Therefore, whatever extra
20:01 million or two might stick, pardon the
20:01 expression, it’s basically like a
20:01 mustard plaster on a corpse; it doesn't
20:02 help at all.
20:03 So, believe me, the issue is not about
20:05 percentages; that doesn't interest
20:08 anyone.
20:09 The Latvian railway is simply going down
20:12 the drain on its own. Once again, these
20:15 are just attempts. You see, it’s like a
20:16 child’s state of mind, where you try to
20:17 look good for your parents, but you
20:18 don’t fully realize the consequences of
20:18 your actions yet. And here, too, our
20:22 Kulbergs went to see Zelensky. Zelensky
20:28 told him, "Listen, brother, why don't
20:29 you tweak the grain issue a little,
20:30 right?""That way, things will look
20:33 better for me here." He decided he was
20:35 such a serious and authoritative guy
20:36 that he came back to Latvia and gave the
20:37 order, you see? Not understanding that
20:39 everything actually works completely
20:42 differently. So, once again, this is
20:45 stupidity, right? But it is by no means
20:47 any kind of tactical or strategic
20:48 calculation, right? So, that is why I
20:49 once again urge you to understand one
20:51 simple thing. Everything you see today
20:53 in Latvia's foreign and domestic policy
20:54 is something that was either brought to
20:55 them with the instruction, "This is what
20:56 you must do," right? Believe me, it’s
20:58 not for the sake of some grand chess
20:59 game; it’s just another mistake, another
21:01 botched job produced by our politicians
21:02 . That
21:05 is
21:07 all. Well, we have two options. We
21:10 absolutely do not have a third. So, it
21:11 turns out that all the decisions made in
21:11 the Latvian Republic over the last few
21:12 years, and in Europe as a whole, have in
21:12 one way or another hit the well-being of
21:13 citizens and residents. Unquestionably.
21:24 And so, against the backdrop of the
21:24 protests that have started in Western
21:25 Europe, which have swept through France
21:25 , Italy, Spain, and even Britain to some
21:25 extent, could social discontent in the
21:25 Baltic states spill over into something
21:25 similar or not?
21:25 >> It is a very good question, but let us
21:35 look at the reality. They tell us there
21:41 are 1. 600 thousand Latvians.
21:44 Yes, not all the Baltics, let's be more
21:46 objective journalists, let's narrow it
21:48 down to the place we know well. 1. 600
21:50 thousand Latvians, right? So they're
21:52 lying, then? I think it's 1. 200
21:54 thousand, at best. Of which, an absolute
21:56 official figure of half a million are
21:58 the elderly, children, and the disabled
22:00 . Removed, and 300-350,000 civil
22:03 servants removed. Who is going to
22:06 protest? The remaining 300-350,000. And
22:09 when would they work? Loans are hanging
22:10 over them. Utilities are 400 euros for a
22:12 two-room apartment. There's sausage,
22:13 eggs are 6 euros. I mean, where? What
22:16 are you going to do?
22:18 Therefore, we must understand today that
22:20 the population has been technically
22:22 fragmented in such a way that, even if
22:24 you wanted to, you couldn't start a
22:26 rebellion.
22:27 That is an absolute fact. And besides,
22:29 you have to understand one simple thing
22:31 : today you can go to jail for a social
22:33 media post, right? I mean, excuse me, if
22:35 you go out to protest, buddy, nobody is
22:37 going to pay off your mortgage, that's
22:39 for sure.
22:40 Therefore, it's impossible. In Latvia
22:42 today, it's impossible.
22:44 >> And as for the security forces, there is
22:46 the State Police, the State Security
22:48 Service, and the Constitution Protection
22:51 Bureau, or rather, the Bureau for the
22:53 Protection of the Constitution.
22:56 What is the opinion of the ordinary
22:59 officers when you talk to them about the
23:02 situation in the country?
23:05 >> You have to distinguish. There are
23:06 general security agencies, the State
23:08 Police—they are perfectly adequate guys
23:11 who just go to work, they have to pay
23:13 their loans, there's nothing you can do
23:16 They try to do their job, but as
23:17 carefully as possible, because the
23:19 number of legal processes brought
23:21 against me by the State Police were
23:23 always handled very reasonably.
23:26 But we are talking about highly
23:27 ideologically charged structures, such
23:29 as the Bureau for the Protection of the
23:31 Constitution, external intelligence, and
23:33 internal security services like the
23:35 State Security Service, or VDD.
23:38 That's a different story. They have
23:39 completely different money, a completely
23:41 different ideology, a completely
23:42 different ideological substance.
23:44 And there, of course, they constantly
23:46 summoned me, trying to brainwash me
23:48 every 3 months when I asked.
23:50 Why are you driving us Russians, who
23:53 were born in Latvia, away like this with
23:55 a dirty broom?
23:57 One of the inspectors looked at me
23:59 completely calmly, took off his
24:00 gold-rimmed glasses. He says: "That's
24:03 the policy today." Yes.
24:05 So, it's an absolutely pragmatic, cold
24:09 cleanup crew.
24:11 If they need to imprison, they will. If
24:12 they need to shoot, they will.
24:14 >> The internal space there has been purged
24:15 . There, for example, there aren't any
24:17 Russian, Russian-speaking people in
24:18 these services,
24:19 >> right? The people who handle external
24:21 communications are exclusively Latvians
24:23 >> As for what's inside the structure, I
24:25 admit there are Russians, well, a
24:27 sufficient number, because you shouldn't
24:29 say that if you have the Russian gene,
24:31 you necessarily see the world from the
24:32 exact perspective it needs to be seen.
24:34 Absolutely. Certainly, there are
24:36 Russians there too.
24:38 But do these services have their own
24:39 political interests, including
24:41 commercial ones? Do they compete? And
24:43 here, frankly speaking, the Corruption
24:45 Prevention and Combating Bureau,
24:46 honestly, it's quite an analogy to the
24:48 Ukrainian NABU.
24:49 And when we consider Ukraine, for
24:51 instance, we say that the NABU currently
24:53 operating in Kyiv is trying to lock up
24:55 all of Zelensky's associates, for
24:57 example, to exert influence.
24:59 Well, such an opinion exists. Can this
25:01 analogy be applied to the territory of
25:03 Latvia?
25:05 You know, as much as I would like to say
25:07 you're right just to please you, in
25:09 reality, the KNAB, the bureau for
25:10 combating corruption...Protecting
25:12 corruption.
25:14 What a slip of the tongue, right?
25:15 I would probably say, "No, they go after
25:18 everyone in the same way. Maybe that
25:20 will change in the future." But as of
25:21 today, regardless of whether it's the
25:24 ruling party or not, everyone gets their
25:27 fair share of heat. Yes. So, well, let's
25:29 definitely not talk about that, right?
25:32 So they punish everyone equally and
25:34 uniformly,
25:35 >> right? Therefore, so far, there are no
25:37 complaints about their work specifically
25:38 , and there can't be. Absolutely correct
25:40 >> But as for them pursuing their own
25:41 political interests, one way or another
25:43 , are they involved in politics at all?
25:45 >> Only the State Security Service has a
25:47 political interest. You have to
25:48 understand this. It's a structure that
25:50 directly influences internal and foreign
25:52 policy today. Who influences them?
25:54 That's another question. Yes. So the
25:55 fact that they are the hands that move
25:57 the pawns on the state security board.
25:59 That is an absolute fact. So, it's a
26:01 fact.
26:03 Today, in order to become any political
26:05 official or a person who makes any
26:08 decisions in our country, you need to
26:10 get permission from the State Security
26:13 Service.
26:14 So it's not enough that the city elected
26:17 me mayor; if the head of the State
26:19 Security Service didn't choose me, I'm
26:21 not the mayor. Have you heard of such a
26:23 thing anywhere? Then why do we even have
26:25 elections? Well, just appoint a governor
26:27 and let's go. What’s the problem,
26:29 absolutely.
26:30 Why do we simulate elections if the head
26:32 of the State Security Service can just
26:33 come and say: "You won't get clearance,
26:35 get out of your position."
26:37 That's it. I mean, you realize today
26:39 that when you ask me: "Who influences
26:41 domestic policy?" The VDD is currently a
26:43 direct lever of influence on policy. A
26:45 direct one.
26:46 >> Right. So, it turns out, in terms of who
26:48 is in charge, you're saying there are
26:50 basically no elected positions anymore;
26:52 whoever the VDD approves is who will
26:54 work.
26:54 >> Whoever they accept, yes.
26:56 >> Well, yes. Then how does this dialogue
26:59 even take place at the internal
27:01 political level in Latvia?
27:03 >> Among, I don't know, those who get
27:05 appointed, for example? Is there any
27:06 kind of power struggle, for instance?
27:08 Maybe President Rinkēvičs 'office or
27:10 Kulberga want to install their own
27:12 people, separate structures, separate
27:14 agreements. It's all just internal
27:15 behind-the-scenes games.
27:17 That's why I drew your attention to the
27:19 fact that if you look at many ministers
27:21 , you'll see they are exclusively
27:23 engaged in professional ministering
27:24 because they are not a threat to the VDD
27:26 ; they are completely understood, vetted
27:28 , and accordingly, they can become a new
27:30 minister of a new branch every 4 years,
27:32 absolutely without any problems.
27:35 So the pool of personnel is also
27:37 insanely narrow, right? I mean, the
27:39 people who can be placed there. So, well
27:41 , today, this is our reality. How could
27:43 such a law be passed that the State
27:46 Security Service determines who becomes
27:48 a minister, determines who becomes a
27:51 mayor, determines how a person will work
27:53 , right? Through these systems of
27:56 clearances and checks, it's unique.
27:59 Then, in principle, the question of
28:00 democratic elections and results falls
28:01 away entirely, doesn't it?
28:03 I mean, why are they even needed? Well,
28:05 it's just nonsense, a simulation.
28:08 >> It's an interesting situation.
28:11 Since the VDD possesses such a lever, it
28:13 means there are certain political
28:15 interests involved.
28:17 What do they want?
28:18 >> What kind of goal are they pursuing? We
28:21 >> are very small children at this moment;
28:23 I don't know how it is in other European
28:25 countries, but specifically in ours,
28:26 behind any such security agency stands a
28:28 specific country, and it's not Latvia.
28:30 You must understand this, right? I mean
28:32 , let's not play these childish games
28:34 here, right?
28:35 And the country that currently regulates
28:37 the work of our State Security Service
28:39 is pursuing its own specific strategic
28:41 goals.
28:41 That's all there is to it.
28:43 And they don't want, let's say, in the
28:45 city of Latgale, somewhere in Daugavpils
28:47 or Rezekne, to have a mayor appointed,
28:49 even if people elected him, who doesn't
28:51 support the foreign policy of the
28:52 British or Americans.
28:54 Why would they? Because then an entire
28:56 city, one bordering Russia, would be
28:58 heading in the wrong direction; heaven
28:59 forbid it tries to secede or comes up
29:01 with something else, who needs that?
29:03 So, they need someone who is predictable
29:05 , controllable, and understandable.
29:06 That’s all.
29:08 >> And let's imagine something, maybe let's
29:11 predict. Ah,
29:14 the Ukrainian case itself has already
29:17 turned out to be
29:19 >> harmful. Well, it's fizzled out, yes.
29:21 And are the Latvian authorities, the
29:23 Latvian intelligence services, ready for
29:25 this failure? And what will they do?
29:28 Well, when
29:30 >> when this cascade collapse happens?
29:32 >> Do you see it?
29:33 A chicken and a crane—they're both birds
29:36 >> Uh-huh.
29:36 >> What a different life, right? What
29:38 different principles and priorities.
29:40 It's absolutely the same story here.
29:41 Understand one simple thing. What do you
29:43 consider a failure? Well, that as of
29:46 today, our small Baltics are creating a
29:48 huge amount of media resonance.
29:51 I don't know about Russia, but in Europe
29:53 , they are definitely highlighting
29:54 negative aspects of Russia, but they are
29:56 doing their job. That is success.
29:59 If you are talking about disappointment
30:00 or failure today, in what way?
30:02 In that they are willing to sacrifice
30:05 their own demographics, their own
30:07 population, just to shut down, cancel,
30:09 persecute, and ruin relations with their
30:11 neighbor to create a positive impression
30:13 on Europeans and everyone else.
30:16 But they are doing their job. We have
30:18 already counted two successes. What do
30:20 you consider negative here?
30:21 If you consider it a loss that in the
30:23 event, heaven forbid, of any conflict on
30:25 Baltic territory, given the specifics
30:26 and size, it’s clear Article 5 won't
30:28 work—fine, NATO won't help anyone, it'll
30:30 be over in a few days—if you consider
30:32 that a defeat, it’s not.
30:34 Can you imagine how many TikTok videos
30:36 could be made in 48 or 72 hours of Slavs
30:39 beating Slavs?
30:41 Wonderful films will come out of it. And
30:42 that, too, will be a success.
30:44 You see, as of today, forcing us to
30:47 crash ourselves against Russia is the
30:50 plan.
30:51 It's not a defeat, it's the plan.
30:53 >> But at the middle level, isn't there?
30:56 Could there not be some dissatisfaction
30:58 with that plan? I see.
31:00 We are talking about the top tier, so at
31:03 the Latvian level, they’ll leave the
31:05 Baltic territory by flight or some other
31:08 means immediately.
31:10 >> But then the mid-level and lower-level
31:12 personnel will be the ones left behind.
31:15 Yeah,
31:15 >> what can people actually do today, tell
31:17 me honestly, absolutely nothing. In
31:19 terms of media, we are cut off from the
31:20 outside world.
31:22 Here in the Baltics, they broadcast only
31:24 this bubble-like information.
31:27 We wouldn't even know what’s happening
31:29 in France if it weren't for social media
31:30 . We don’t know where any protests have
31:32 taken place. We don’t know what happened
31:34 with Vučić, right? That is to say, we
31:36 know nothing.
31:38 An information vacuum has been created
31:39 within us today, created quite
31:40 effectively, and all the people are
31:42 being kept in it.
31:43 When I left it for the Republic of
31:45 Belarus and Russia, I received
31:46 completely different information that
31:48 simply doesn't exist inside. What do you
31:50 expect from these people today? It is an
31:52 absolutely lost territory,
31:54 informationally and now physically
31:56 isolated. What do you want from them?
31:58 All they have left is to sit and wait.
32:01 If you read the comments when, I believe
32:03 , Ukrainian drones started flying over
32:05 actively this summer—the ones that got
32:08 lost and flew into our territory—you
32:10 could clearly see the stance where
32:12 people, though you shouldn't say it,
32:14 were in fact rejoicing at the beginning
32:16 of the end.
32:18 Meaning, well, it seemed to them that it
32:20 had begun, and this brought them some
32:22 sort of absolute joy because, well,
32:23 they'd had enough, and now, quickly,
32:25 bam-bam, everything would happen, and
32:27 everything would fall back into place.
32:29 That’s all. The only story today is that
32:31 people are sitting completely isolated
32:33 from the outside world and hoping that
32:35 it will all somehow resolve itself. That
32:37 is all.
32:38 >> So, it turns out to be passivity, and
32:40 everyone is just doing their job.
32:42 >> What passivity? You know, actually, I
32:44 repeat, when 40%of the population—
32:46 actually, even more...I am 42 years old
32:48 , and every day they instill in you: "
32:50 You are a nothing, you are dirt, you are
32:53 a nothing, you are dirt, you are a
32:55 nothing, you are dirt." What will you
32:57 turn into after 42 years?
32:59 Well, not everyone can withstand that.
33:01 Not everyone can today. When at any
33:03 moment they can call you an occupier,
33:06 but if you say something back, you get a
33:09 criminal charge and go to jail. Yet that
33:12 person, well, it’s democracy now, so he
33:14 is allowed to say that. Imagine when, on
33:16 the internet, Russian children are
33:17 compared to pigs that need to be fried,
33:19 and for any of our complaints to the
33:21 Prosecutor General's Office to open a
33:23 criminal case against specific
33:25 individuals, we get the answer:
33:26 democracy, freedom of speech.
33:28 When you are called vomit, when you are
33:30 ...well, what passivity are you talking
33:32 about? It is amazing, you know, when you
33:35 are in such a great, strong country as
33:36 Russia, you look at the world
33:38 differently.
33:39 Well, try living there in that little
33:41 frying pan, where they try to roast you
33:42 every single day. Then you can tell me
33:44 about passivity.
33:45 >> So, does the level of everyday
33:47 Russophobia actually rise in this
33:50 information vacuum?
33:51 >> Again, as I said at the start of the
33:53 show, 10%of agitators exist in any
33:54 country.
33:55 >> And they keep on going,
33:56 >> right?
33:59 We have this, if you know, an amazing
34:01 politician who spent her whole life
34:03 working and earning thanks to Russia,
34:05 because she’s a poetess,
34:08 >> everything she did was in Russian and
34:10 she lived in
34:14 in Crimea, right? I mean, well, in
34:16 principle everything was fine, right?
34:18 Then at some point she changed
34:19 professions, became a Russophobe, right
34:22 And now, any suggestion of hers to tear
34:24 apart, lynch, cut off something from a
34:26 Russian, it’s perceived as, "Oh, we must
34:29 put this in the news ticker," and that's
34:33 So let's not talk about passivity, let's
34:35 talk about who will help us, who will
34:37 protect us. Who?
34:39 Today this question stands clearly: "
34:41 Fine, we’ll go out, what next?" What
34:44 will change from that? Where will it all
34:46 go from there?
34:47 Half of us will be jailed, the other
34:49 half will lose their jobs; any attempts
34:50 at rallies we tried to organize, people
34:52 were clearly warned at work: "If we see
34:54 you there again, you’ll be out of a job
34:55 ."
34:56 That’s just how it is. Everything is
34:58 very short and clear. Today, absolutely
35:00 all bloggers and people talking to the
35:02 masses through social networks go
35:04 through an SGB filter.
35:06 You go there and they brainwash you for
35:08 three hours. To the point where they
35:10 even forbid blogging in Russian; you
35:12 have to switch to Latvian. Even if a
35:14 girl is talking about mineral water, why
35:18 Only in the Latvian language. Even
35:19 though the social network doesn't belong
35:20 to Latvia, right? It's probably more of
35:22 a territory owned by China or America.
35:24 If we look at it this way, you must
35:27 understand the idiocy: people who moved
35:29 to the UK or Germany, living there for
35:32 years, posting greeting cards on May 9th
35:35 , get fined by Latvia.
35:37 We go to the prosecutor's office and ask
35:39 , "What are you doing?""These people
35:40 already live in another country.""And
35:41 it’s not forbidden in Germany.""As long
35:43 as he has a Latvian passport, he will
35:45 answer according to our laws." What
35:47 utter heresy.
35:49 >> Truly, what are the sentiments within
35:51 the Latvian diasporas, because young
35:53 people are leaving, and many are going
35:54 to Europe for work, and I understand
35:56 they are escaping the same information
35:58 bubble created in the country.
36:00 What do they think
36:01 >> at the present moment? The results of
36:04 state exams in Russian, Latvian, and
36:06 English show that even Latvians do not
36:08 want to learn the Latvian language.
36:10 Forgive me, my dear fellow citizens, but
36:12 that is a fact. It is a fact that is
36:14 reflected in the numbers.
36:17 Today, even Latvian children know
36:19 English better, and the pass rates are
36:21 much higher than for their native
36:24 Latvian.
36:25 So, you already understand that these
36:27 children are not preparing to stay in
36:28 their own country. Plus, you must
36:29 understand a very simple thing.
36:31 Europe has done a colossal thing: in any
36:33 university, practically any, well, a
36:35 niche one—we're not talking about
36:37 Cambridge—in any niche university in a
36:40 European country, you have the right to
36:42 study for free.
36:44 So today, a girl from Latvia, having
36:46 finished 12 grades, can absolutely
36:48 calmly go to Sweden. Well, you will only
36:51 need to pay for housing and study at a
36:52 local university without any problems.
36:54 Because old Europe, yes, and that part
36:56 of the associated members, well,
36:58 everyone who is nearby, those old
37:00 countries are wise, they are stealing
37:02 our young potential. They understand
37:04 perfectly well: "Let's create conditions
37:05 for them, they will come to us, and then
37:06 we simply won't let them go." That's all
37:08 there is to it.
37:09 >> Therefore, in this entire situation
37:10 today, you must understand, Latvian
37:12 children are preparing to leave. Russian
37:14 children are planning exactly the same
37:16 thing. That's it, the parents are just
37:17 living out their time. That's it.
37:19 But among those who left, well, I'm not
37:21 talking about the youth, but the older
37:23 generation, can they even represent some
37:25 kind of alternative political force?
37:28 By the end of the collapse of the Soviet
37:30 Union, the governments created by Latvia
37:32 , Lithuania, and Estonia were formed
37:34 precisely by those who had left, the
37:35 returning emigrants. That is a reverse
37:37 history of sorts. Could it possibly
37:39 repeat?
37:39 >> Look, it's an absolutely simple story.
37:41 If we look at the historical example you
37:42 cited, even that, after all, was not
37:44 through specific elections, right? It
37:46 was, in principle, conditionally, that
37:47 power was lying under our feet. There
37:49 was a group of people who gathered,
37:50 picked it up, and moved forward. And we
37:53 are talking about democratic elections.
37:55 Starting with the recent European
37:57 elections that took place in the
37:58 European Union, including in Latvia, we
38:00 saw a vivid example of how the
38:02 falsification of election results, which
38:04 we see, has a huge influence.
38:07 I am the second most popular person in
38:08 Latvia in the European elections, I take
38:10 third place, and in the morning I
38:12 receive zero.
38:13 It’s like how the building was
38:15 previously cordoned off by state
38:16 security, and all members of the Central
38:19 Election Commission, except for the head
38:21 , were expelled from the premises so
38:23 they wouldn't see how the results were
38:25 being formed. The next morning, out of
38:26 seven commission members, three or four
38:28 —I won't lie now—refused to sign the
38:30 election results because they said, "We
38:32 don't understand how this figure was
38:33 generated." To which they were told: "
38:35 We will declare the election results
38:35 even without you." And the elections
38:36 were declared even without the
38:38 signatures of the Central Election
38:39 Commission members, which is a gross
38:40 violation.
38:41 The next election today is for the
38:42 Latvian parliament.
38:44 We see a situation where state security
38:46 arrives, takes the head of the Central
38:48 Election Commission along with the
38:50 secretary, and whisks them away to some
38:52 secret location where they will oversee
38:54 and, let's say, count all the votes from
38:56 all the polling stations.
38:58 When asked why? The answer is simple.
39:00 There is information that the Russian
39:02 Federation might attempt an
39:03 assassination, just like removing the
39:05 toastmaster from a wedding. This doesn't
39:06 cancel the wedding, but a pretext has
39:08 been found. So, these people—with access
39:11 keys to election results and potential,
39:13 possible, uh, hypothetical (we haven't
39:15 caught them red-handed, but still)
39:17 influence over the numbers—are taken to
39:19 a secret location where they sit and,
39:21 with a time delay, which we observe
39:23 during the election process at 3:00 AM,
39:26 form some final figures. We understand
39:28 why this is being done, don't we?
39:30 We understand that, at this moment, it
39:31 was necessary to hand over control of
39:33 the country to a single majority, and
39:34 that is Mr. Kulbergs and his party.
39:37 Plus, to remove the genuine opposition
39:38 so there would be a sense that in Latvia
39:40 the entire field is cleared and no one
39:41 supports either Russia or Belarus
39:43 anymore. So it was necessary to push me
39:45 way, way back. Therefore, if you talk
39:47 about change through elections in this
39:49 system today, it is impossible. That's
39:51 it. So today, election rigging and
39:53 falsification have reached a new level.
39:56 We are doing this. And every time we
39:58 need to, in the recent European
39:59 elections, just so you understand,
40:01 nationalist parties that support the war
40:03 and Ukraine achieved a phenomenal
40:05 victory and a number of votes they had
40:07 historically never received. Then we
40:09 have parliamentary elections and,
40:11 likewise, some phenomenal victory for a
40:13 political force that adores Ukraine and
40:14 hates Russia. Don't you see some kind of
40:16 cause-and-effect relationship here?
40:19 One way or another, given certain trends
40:22 , it’s unclear how they will end, and
40:24 there in Germany, maybe, they might
40:26 succeed.
40:28 Now in April, there will be
40:29 >> the French presidential elections, where
40:33 , according to polls, Le Pen might win.
40:36 Yes. I mean, it’s not that she’s
40:38 pro-Russian, but she is at least
40:40 advocating for some kind of dialogue.
40:42 And so we have these three Baltic
40:44 republics left, who are really bending
40:46 over backwards.
40:48 Always trying to take a bite out of
40:50 Russia.
40:52 If they were left without support, what
40:54 would happen hypothetically?
40:57 >> Well, look, first and most importantly,
40:58 you’re looking at everything through
41:00 very positive glasses, I’d say. Let’s
41:02 just understand one simple thing. Today
41:03 , Europe is in the midst of a profound
41:05 crisis. And the possibility of forming
41:07 the next European budget is, well, very
41:09 difficult, isn't it? You have to
41:11 understand that.
41:11 >> Well, that’s exactly what the disputes
41:13 are about right now,
41:13 >> yes. Yes.
41:15 And the prospect of the European Union
41:18 existing in a state of war is very real
41:21 In a state of peace, most likely, it's
41:23 already gone. So you must realize that
41:25 it will still be in Old Europe's
41:27 interest to continue the conflict by any
41:29 means and through any action.
41:32 At the moment, the Baltic side is—I
41:34 won’t pretend to be an expert—but it
41:37 seems to be one of the last cards left
41:39 to play against Russia, if needed, right
41:42 I mean, at the very least, it’s enough
41:44 to spoil the mood for a week or two,
41:45 right? So why not? That’s also, let’s
41:48 say, a perfectly rational story from
41:49 their perspective. So, will Latvia or
41:51 the Baltics be left alone today without
41:53 European Union support? They won't. It’s
41:56 too juicy a target right on Russia's
41:58 border for them to stop creating what
42:00 they perceive to be a problem, right? So
42:02 let’s just forget about that scenario.
42:05 In the event that the European Union
42:07 collapses—and I am absolutely certain it
42:10 will—or at least if it shrinks to a
42:12 certain size, cutting off all the parts
42:15 that need to be subsidized or helped,
42:17 like the Baltics, and shrinks back to
42:19 its own independent core.
42:22 But in that case, there will be no other
42:23 options. Our politicians will have to
42:25 find a way to negotiate with the Russian
42:27 Federation and with their neighbors,
42:29 because the Poles don't need us. The
42:31 Poles have made it clear: why would they
42:33 want us? We have no oil or gas, just a
42:34 bunch of sick people and that’s it. I
42:36 mean, why would we need that, right? And
42:38 other countries won't offer us anything
42:40 either. Therefore, our politicians will
42:41 be forced to find a dialogue with the
42:43 Russian Federation. Here, I certainly
42:44 wish you wisdom in making the right
42:46 decision.
42:47 >> And in conclusion, I would like to talk
42:49 to you about your political past.
42:53 that you began your political career
42:55 with the Harmony party, which was led by
42:57 the long-time mayor of Riga, Nils
42:59 Ušakovs.
43:00 And what could you tell us about Ušakovs
43:03 himself and your work together?
43:04 >> In 2017, I entered politics at his
43:06 personal invitation. At that time, I was
43:08 actively involved in business and headed
43:10 a police trade union. I can say quite
43:12 honestly, about the time we managed to
43:15 work together, yes, I still consider him
43:17 to have been one of the most promising
43:20 and, in my view, most talented
43:22 politicians.
43:23 Well, at any rate, for that period of
43:25 time, absolutely, definitely, yes,
43:27 because a better mayor and leader for a
43:29 Russian-speaking party would simply have
43:31 been impossible to find.
43:34 At what point was his worldview broken,
43:36 and at what point did he decide to
43:38 change his positions?
43:41 I don’t know, and I think it would have
43:44 been more correct, after all, to stick
43:46 to one's own path.
43:48 He decided that Europe was a safer
43:50 territory for him to continue working,
43:51 because you have to understand that the
43:53 persecutions launched against him in the
43:55 Republic of Latvia were, well, believe
43:57 me, quite powerful.
43:59 So it was absolutely clear that either
44:00 they would imprison him or ruin his life
44:02 to such an extent that he would regret
44:04 it. That is why our fates are completely
44:05 mirror images of each other.
44:07 It’s all clear, so he was excellent, he
44:09 was strong, but unfortunately, his time
44:11 has passed, and he chose a different
44:13 path himself.
44:15 I regret that, of course, it was in vain
44:17 >> Was it a cumulative effect when you
44:20 parted ways, or was there some specific
44:23 event?
44:23 >> At that time, I was in charge of the
44:24 development of the city of Riga. I was
44:25 the chairman of the committee for the
44:27 development of the city of Riga and
44:29 cooperation with Moscow and Minsk. This
44:31 was a strategic direction through which
44:32 we supported Russian-Latvian courtyards
44:34 , as you might recall. We would come
44:36 here and meet with your Duma
44:37 representatives, but I was forbidden
44:39 from continuing this policy, and they
44:41 said that this had to end, that we were
44:44 no longer doing this. So in that
44:46 situation, the question arose for me:
44:47 what exactly are we doing? In what
44:49 direction are we actually moving?
44:50 Because, in principle, the ideological
44:52 idea I shared with the party was the
44:54 cooperation and support of our neighbors
44:56 . So if I can't do that, then, in
44:58 principle, what is the goal? Where are
45:00 we heading? And from that moment, this
45:02 whole broken story began. And when I was
45:04 one of the first to find out that he
45:05 would be moving to the European Union
45:07 for the elections, well, the question
45:08 arose, how are we staying and what are
45:10 we doing here, right? That is, in
45:11 principle, continuing the policy of
45:13 supporting Russian speakers and
45:14 good-neighborly relations was important
45:16 to me, and I was not prepared to turn in
45:18 another direction and try to curry favor
45:20 with nationalist forces now. Yes,
45:22 therefore,
45:22 >> well, it turns out that this is what
45:24 made you think about creating your own
45:25 political force.
45:26 >> You know, at that moment I thought that
45:28 I would be able to convince the team,
45:31 after Nil's attempt to leave Latvia, to
45:33 still return to the previous state.
45:36 But at that moment, Jānis Urbanovičs,
45:38 who was the second leader of the party,
45:39 well, he absolutely did not see this
45:41 story that way; for him, it was
45:42 important to flirt with the national
45:43 elites and play in a slightly different
45:45 direction.
45:46 Therefore, my departure from the party
45:48 and the creation of a new party was not
45:50 planned. It was, unfortunately, now
45:52 fortunately, just a turn of events.
45:53 That's all.
45:55 >> Well, 3–4 weeks have passed since the
45:57 elections.
45:59 Could you share your reflection with us
46:03 Demonstrate the results and the future
46:06 of the party of stability.
46:08 >> Uh-huh. At the moment, it is clearly
46:10 understood that our result is much
46:12 higher than the result they drew for us
46:15 . We understand this, right? That is, we
46:16 are aware of it, and for us, this is, in
46:18 principle, an absolutely natural story.
46:19 Therefore, we will continue to work.
46:20 Today there are certain difficulties
46:22 that will be created for us by special
46:24 structures located on the territory of
46:26 Latvia, including the State Security
46:28 Service. But we will try to withstand
46:29 them all because the team is holding
46:31 together, people are determined to move
46:32 forward, and we are not going to lose
46:34 our positions under any circumstances at
46:35 this moment. There are still a huge
46:37 number of election cycles ahead, so,
46:39 accordingly, we are working. And again,
46:41 at the moment when geopolitics changes,
46:43 and I am sure it will change, we must
46:44 still offer our neighbors not just a
46:46 desire to work, but some kind of
46:48 foundation, right? That is, accordingly
46:50 , having a party and a team is one of
46:52 those elements I am talking about.
46:55 And when we had our last interview, you
46:58 mentioned that there were some
47:00 conversations or proposals about forming
47:03 a faction of a new political force with
47:06 partners.
47:07 >> All the opposition parties that are
47:09 currently left on the sidelines are
47:11 ready to form a large union. And for me
47:13 , this is probably the biggest job today
47:15 , because these are such different
47:17 people. If you recall, at one time I
47:19 tried to unite with an organization like
47:21 Tautas Kalpi, the People's Servants,
47:24 Aivars Varna. But then twenty-two
47:25 happened, he went crazy and grew to hate
47:27 Russia. Yes. That is, now he has started
47:29 loving Russia again and hating Ukraine.
47:31 Well, it's hard for me to understand how
47:32 one can put all that on the same plate,
47:34 you know? Because my position, it hasn't
47:36 changed in the last 10 years, and it's
47:38 not going to. So for me, it's a lot of
47:40 work, yes. Then we have Valentins
47:42 Jeremejevs, right, as of today, who also
47:44 heads one of the protest movements. We
47:47 need to watch, we need to work. Yes, he
47:49 is also a bit afraid to openly advocate
47:51 for Russia, for the Republic of Belarus
47:53 . That is also a downside for us,
47:55 because I’m not going to tone down my
47:57 rhetoric, so we would end up uniting,
47:59 I’d be speaking, and you would be angry
48:01 at me. So, we’ll need to figure out how
48:04 to handle all that. But today we are all
48:07 in dialogue, we are all talking, we are
48:08 all trying to reach an agreement,
48:09 understand positions, and move forward,
48:11 but we cannot lose our political
48:12 strength. Alexey, thank you very much
48:14 for the interview, it was very
48:15 interesting.
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