[Music]
[Applause]
for last three years I have been
researching Russia’s influence in Latvia
what Russian speakers think what are
relations between Latvian and Russian
communities here in Latvia I’ve been
listening to what Russians have to say
and this has always been at the
background of my life
you see my grandmother syndra here sure
she was in charge of the state language
agency in charge of diversification
after the end of Soviet occupation in
the 90s and her perspective was clear
enough and politics was always discussed
at home and she thought that Latvia has
suffered injustice from the hands of
Russians Russians they have no right to
celebrate a victory day over this Nazis
in the Second World War it was not a
victory it was occupation of Latvia and
there are many Latvians who will grieve
in my grandmother but then I started my
studies I studied politics in university
of latvia and those mosaics and others
there they exposed me to a wide range of
different ideas Russians too were
victims of the Soviet regime they saw
their victories I can reward it because
their parents fought in it they died in
it they feel some pride and it’s only
natural it’s not that they celebrate
occupation of Latvia even more during my
studies I made my first Russian friend
imagine this I had lived in Latvia for
18 years and I had never had a Russian
friend in a country where a third of
population speaks Russian and this is a
normal Latvian there are Latvians who
don’t know any Russians and vice-versa
and without also talked about politics
quite a lot the often didn’t agree but
we were friends and I valued his
opinions but up till that point I can
never heard what Russian had to say I
had only heard Latvian stereotypes about
Russian community here but now I was
listening and hearing what he had
to say why he believes what he believes
and it is hard to do that judging others
it comes so easily because the more
important an idea is for you the more
deeply rooted it is when someone
challenges your deeply rooted beliefs
all things can get emotional because we
perceive that core of our identity is
under attack and this is simply how
human mind works and in Latvia we do
have these two different worldviews that
exist here different perspectives on
history politics language and other
issues where Russian a lesbian community
doesn’t really agree in arm even have
totally opposed the world views about
for example in one of the focus groups
we conducted there were Russians
discussing events of Second World War
and the idea that Red Army liberated
Latvia it came up very quickly and this
lady behind the screen I’m serving the
focus group she get emotional they have
no right to say this Soviet Army didn’t
liberate Latvia they occupied that field
and there definitely are people like
this in our society who get emotional
when exposed to different set of beliefs
and of course this applies not only its
Latvia and also Russians here on the
other hand majority of our society can
get along for example in interviews
which showed up there are a lot of mixed
marriages between Latvians and Russians
here in Latvia and when married couple
when they visit their Russian side a
family well they tend to agree with
everything the Russian parents say what
do you think what happens when they
visit their Latvian parents well nothing
really happens they agree with
everything their Latvian parents have to
say about politics and history and other
issues and some extent this shows that
our society is mature we try to avoid
conflict we want to get along but since
Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and
Crimea the attention of the world has
shifted towards Baltic states and Latvia
a Kremlin used russian-speaking
community in Ukraine to incite mass
uprising and media abroad like here BBC
well they look at the map and they say
that in Kazakhstan there are a lot of
Russians in Estonia Russians but
Latvia the most 26% of our population
are ethnic Russians even more 37% speak
Russian their mother tongue is Russian
language and BBC concludes that Latvia
is potential next target for Russia the
weakest link in NATO alliance another
example here shot for American think
tank they look a bit deeper they see
that Ukraine wasn’t homogeneous now
there is Latvia but still in the capital
Riga half a population of Russian
speakers in the eastern part of Latvia
lot Gila again half speak Russian
language which makes these two regions
vulnerable another example they stop
American military general better
Concorde them well their argument is
quite simple topical region Latvia has a
lot of Russians it’s a separate ethnic
group with their own language and is the
logical location for any Russian
invasion and for last three years there
been many stereotypes and exaggerations
like this in New York Times and other
major media that suggests that Russian
speakers are homogeneous and they are
pro Russia but are things really that
bad how can they know this and they
cannot because up to last year there is
no data on this no polls nothing these
articles simply assume that most or
majority of Russians are pro-russian at
best they’ve sent journalists here he’s
interviewed one or two Russian radicals
that we do have here in Latvia and he
assumes that all Russians speak think
like this and I would say search
approach is even harmful because if you
assume that all Russians and countries
of this region are pro Russia you give a
big power in Russia has over the hearts
and minds of these people it allow us
put in the punch above his weight he
even more it is offensive to many
Russians who live here and these biases
and stereotypes they are harmful
evidence based on science and data
should guide our thinking on this should
guide our policies and complex issues
that we do have here in Latvia
over last years I have been conducting
research on this there have been two
nationally representative surveys in lot
in across all Latvia one in lob gala
their main focus groups interviews I’ve
been trying to listen to what Russian
speakers have the same so in Latvia 37%
of our population are Russian speakers
so are they a homogenous unified group
not at all and let me illustrate one of
the stories Russian propaganda tells
about Ukraine Latvia and well everyone
they don’t like is that they’re fascists
and we tested in our polls if people
agree to these stories Russia tells
about Latvia and the world and for this
question is restoration of fascism
taking place in Latvia it’s not at all
Russian speakers agree to this it’s only
roughly half but they even if people
agree to this story the fashions on rise
was told in interviews there was this
lady from lava golem and she agrees
fashions on rise we asked her well where
do you see this in your life and she
says I don’t see it I see it only in TV
this is something that happens in Riga
thank God we don’t have anything like
this in Lada color in another interview
there is another lady also Russian
speaker and she has relatives in Ukraine
but she doesn’t leave her relatives
because relatives have been brainwashed
by fascist Junta in Kiev she does
believe Russian state television so
think about this for a moment
television mass media has a major haul
than our minds our hearts and minds of
people if you consume one biased source
of information for years it’s not that
surprising that you will agree to this
so by now some of you might think that
all Russians consume Russian media they
all agree what Russia says but this is
not the case in Latvia roughly half of
Russian speakers consume media only in
Russian language both from Russia
Russian state-owned but also local media
and Russia because local media are the
most popular ones they very often copy
stories in the truck
Russian media publishes and we used also
other questions which tested support for
these Russian narratives about Latvia so
do you think that Russia should protect
Russian speakers in Latvia do you
support use of proper symbols Russian
flags George ribbons and Victory Day
celebrations and many others and overall
half of Russian speakers in Latvia well
they live in this Russian media sphere
of influence they agree with Russia
stories about the world and that is that
it would be easier for put in the tap
into the minds people who already agree
with stories he tells about the world
but it gets more complicated than this
how many Russian speakers feel belonging
to Russia here in Latvia even less it’s
a minority in the polls
28% Russian speakers they say that feel
close ties to Russia in interviews and
there is a small story that came up for
example when Russians when I traveled to
Moscow or st. Petersburg Russians there
well they say that you’re not real
Russians you have these Baltic accents
you’re different so it’s not that
surprising the Russian community in
Latvia doesn’t feel that close ties to
Russia even more most of people who feel
belonging to Russia also feel belonging
to Latvia here in the green only a small
minority roughly 10% they are alienated
from Latvian state and feel belonging
only to Latvia for example when Russians
from Latvia when I travel to Europe
after events in eastern Ukraine they
tend to say they are Latvians they want
to be perceived as Russians when in
Europe but it gets even more complicated
than this Georgian ribbon Wow
I know that for some of you this causes
some strong emotions for some it might
be patriotism towards Russia for others
it might be fear some negative emotions
and you remember what I told you about
these deeply held beliefs then both fear
the challenges our core beliefs this is
exactly that
but you must agree that for last year’s
the number of Russian flags and Georgian
ribbons it has gone down on our streets
and I’ve gone to the Victory Day
celebration and have asked people so why
haven’t you put on your Georgian ribbon
this year and what people say that after
separatists but on the symbol on their
clothing in eastern Ukraine it has
become a symbol of separatism and they
will not put it on anymore so there can
be people not via who agree with what
russia does in its foreign policy who
might like Vladimir Putin but they don’t
want to be perceived a separatist in
Latvia even more this is also possible
as you remember from two slides ago
there are Russians who feel belonging to
Russia and who feel belongings Latvia as
well their identities are complex this
is not a unified homogeneous group but
it gets even more complicated than this
these attitudes people tell in surveys
it does not mean in any way that
behavior will follow well let me
illustrate for example when you take a
box in a survey which says well which
asks are you religious and you say yeah
I’m religious it doesn’t mean that you
were gonna go to church on Sundays
attitude does not predict future
behavior and it applies also to Russians
here so we use the essentially
psychological tests which allow to probe
our people are going to be socially and
politically active in the future and the
results of these tests will they say
that our society well is not ready to go
out and protest they don’t believe that
their actions will change much they
don’t think that standing out from the
crowd is something good and this what we
are not like Greeks for example during
financial crisis in Greece there were
many uprisings violent protests while
Latvia we had only one small violent
protest in January 13 with few windows
smashed and this might be bad for
democracy in Latvia but in terms of
security it is a good thing favorable
conditions for mass protests do not
exist Russian speakers are not
homogeneous they’re not unified group
the extent of Russia’s influence should
not be overestimated but by now some of
you must be thinking that he’s trying to
whitewash the whole situation he’s
trying to downplay Russia’s influence in
Latvia and know there definitely are
problems and vulnerabilities that we
have there is potential for polarization
in Latvia there are these two realities
groups of our society live in half
Persian speakers don’t consume any media
in other language than Russian they
don’t consume media in Latvian or
English so they don’t get exposed to
Latvian or Western worldview and this
can be a source of tension there are
also real problems that exist here in
Latvia for example in the eastern region
local region unemployment currently is
18 percent one-eighth this is great
depression level of unemployment and
even more if there were no problems in
that fear Russian propaganda doesn’t
need real things to work with you can
take camera put it at the right angle
and show a small protest as a large
pro-russia uprising at the same time I
want to emphasize that to address these
complex problems that we do have here in
Latvia we should look at evidence at
what are the facts it’s easy to build a
worldview on fear and anecdotal evidence
but it’s hard to think hard to look for
data or to listen what people have to
say but it allows us and policymakers to
see the real picture to address the real
issues not perceived ones we should base
our views on data facts and evidence not
stereotypes and biases and going back to
interview is when Latvians and russians
meet they try to avoid these sensitive
topics in their conversations and in
some extent this shows that our society
is mature they want to avoid conflict
and get along however the next step in
overcoming divisions in our society is
talking and listening these are
sensitive issues these are emotional
issues but I would recommend that you do
talk about
them with your Russian friends if you’re
a Latvian and you’re Latvian friends
if your referent not to argue not to
convince not to enlighten but understand
why they believe what they believe to
acknowledge that the other party has a
valid set of beliefs for good reasons
and that would be a next step in
bringing these divided communities back
together [Applause]
[Applause]
for last three years I have been
researching Russia’s influence in Latvia
what Russian speakers think what are
relations between Latvian and Russian
communities here in Latvia I’ve been
listening to what Russians have to say
and this has always been at the
background of my life
you see my grandmother syndra here sure
she was in charge of the state language
agency in charge of diversification
after the end of Soviet occupation in
the 90s and her perspective was clear
enough and politics was always discussed
at home and she thought that Latvia has
suffered injustice from the hands of
Russians Russians they have no right to
celebrate a victory day over this Nazis
in the Second World War it was not a
victory it was occupation of Latvia and
there are many Latvians who will grieve
in my grandmother but then I started my
studies I studied politics in university
of latvia and those mosaics and others
there they exposed me to a wide range of
different ideas Russians too were
victims of the Soviet regime they saw
their victories I can reward it because
their parents fought in it they died in
it they feel some pride and it’s only
natural it’s not that they celebrate
occupation of Latvia even more during my
studies I made my first Russian friend
imagine this I had lived in Latvia for
18 years and I had never had a Russian
friend in a country where a third of
population speaks Russian and this is a
normal Latvian there are Latvians who
don’t know any Russians and vice-versa
and without also talked about politics
quite a lot the often didn’t agree but
we were friends and I valued his
opinions but up till that point I can
never heard what Russian had to say I
had only heard Latvian stereotypes about
Russian community here but now I was
listening and hearing what he had
to say why he believes what he believes
and it is hard to do that judging others
it comes so easily because the more
important an idea is for you the more
deeply rooted it is when someone
challenges your deeply rooted beliefs
all things can get emotional because we
perceive that core of our identity is
under attack and this is simply how
human mind works and in Latvia we do
have these two different worldviews that
exist here different perspectives on
history politics language and other
issues where Russian a lesbian community
doesn’t really agree in arm even have
totally opposed the world views about
for example in one of the focus groups
we conducted there were Russians
discussing events of Second World War
and the idea that Red Army liberated
Latvia it came up very quickly and this
lady behind the screen I’m serving the
focus group she get emotional they have
no right to say this Soviet Army didn’t
liberate Latvia they occupied that field
and there definitely are people like
this in our society who get emotional
when exposed to different set of beliefs
and of course this applies not only its
Latvia and also Russians here on the
other hand majority of our society can
get along for example in interviews
which showed up there are a lot of mixed
marriages between Latvians and Russians
here in Latvia and when married couple
when they visit their Russian side a
family well they tend to agree with
everything the Russian parents say what
do you think what happens when they
visit their Latvian parents well nothing
really happens they agree with
everything their Latvian parents have to
say about politics and history and other
issues and some extent this shows that
our society is mature we try to avoid
conflict we want to get along but since
Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and
Crimea the attention of the world has
shifted towards Baltic states and Latvia
a Kremlin used russian-speaking
community in Ukraine to incite mass
uprising and media abroad like here BBC
well they look at the map and they say
that in Kazakhstan there are a lot of
Russians in Estonia Russians but
Latvia the most 26% of our population
are ethnic Russians even more 37% speak
Russian their mother tongue is Russian
language and BBC concludes that Latvia
is potential next target for Russia the
weakest link in NATO alliance another
example here shot for American think
tank they look a bit deeper they see
that Ukraine wasn’t homogeneous now
there is Latvia but still in the capital
Riga half a population of Russian
speakers in the eastern part of Latvia
lot Gila again half speak Russian
language which makes these two regions
vulnerable another example they stop
American military general better
Concorde them well their argument is
quite simple topical region Latvia has a
lot of Russians it’s a separate ethnic
group with their own language and is the
logical location for any Russian
invasion and for last three years there
been many stereotypes and exaggerations
like this in New York Times and other
major media that suggests that Russian
speakers are homogeneous and they are
pro Russia but are things really that
bad how can they know this and they
cannot because up to last year there is
no data on this no polls nothing these
articles simply assume that most or
majority of Russians are pro-russian at
best they’ve sent journalists here he’s
interviewed one or two Russian radicals
that we do have here in Latvia and he
assumes that all Russians speak think
like this and I would say search
approach is even harmful because if you
assume that all Russians and countries
of this region are pro Russia you give a
big power in Russia has over the hearts
and minds of these people it allow us
put in the punch above his weight he
even more it is offensive to many
Russians who live here and these biases
and stereotypes they are harmful
evidence based on science and data
should guide our thinking on this should
guide our policies and complex issues
that we do have here in Latvia
over last years I have been conducting
research on this there have been two
nationally representative surveys in lot
in across all Latvia one in lob gala
their main focus groups interviews I’ve
been trying to listen to what Russian
speakers have the same so in Latvia 37%
of our population are Russian speakers
so are they a homogenous unified group
not at all and let me illustrate one of
the stories Russian propaganda tells
about Ukraine Latvia and well everyone
they don’t like is that they’re fascists
and we tested in our polls if people
agree to these stories Russia tells
about Latvia and the world and for this
question is restoration of fascism
taking place in Latvia it’s not at all
Russian speakers agree to this it’s only
roughly half but they even if people
agree to this story the fashions on rise
was told in interviews there was this
lady from lava golem and she agrees
fashions on rise we asked her well where
do you see this in your life and she
says I don’t see it I see it only in TV
this is something that happens in Riga
thank God we don’t have anything like
this in Lada color in another interview
there is another lady also Russian
speaker and she has relatives in Ukraine
but she doesn’t leave her relatives
because relatives have been brainwashed
by fascist Junta in Kiev she does
believe Russian state television so
think about this for a moment
television mass media has a major haul
than our minds our hearts and minds of
people if you consume one biased source
of information for years it’s not that
surprising that you will agree to this
so by now some of you might think that
all Russians consume Russian media they
all agree what Russia says but this is
not the case in Latvia roughly half of
Russian speakers consume media only in
Russian language both from Russia
Russian state-owned but also local media
and Russia because local media are the
most popular ones they very often copy
stories in the truck
Russian media publishes and we used also
other questions which tested support for
these Russian narratives about Latvia so
do you think that Russia should protect
Russian speakers in Latvia do you
support use of proper symbols Russian
flags George ribbons and Victory Day
celebrations and many others and overall
half of Russian speakers in Latvia well
they live in this Russian media sphere
of influence they agree with Russia
stories about the world and that is that
it would be easier for put in the tap
into the minds people who already agree
with stories he tells about the world
but it gets more complicated than this
how many Russian speakers feel belonging
to Russia here in Latvia even less it’s
a minority in the polls
28% Russian speakers they say that feel
close ties to Russia in interviews and
there is a small story that came up for
example when Russians when I traveled to
Moscow or st. Petersburg Russians there
well they say that you’re not real
Russians you have these Baltic accents
you’re different so it’s not that
surprising the Russian community in
Latvia doesn’t feel that close ties to
Russia even more most of people who feel
belonging to Russia also feel belonging
to Latvia here in the green only a small
minority roughly 10% they are alienated
from Latvian state and feel belonging
only to Latvia for example when Russians
from Latvia when I travel to Europe
after events in eastern Ukraine they
tend to say they are Latvians they want
to be perceived as Russians when in
Europe but it gets even more complicated
than this Georgian ribbon Wow
I know that for some of you this causes
some strong emotions for some it might
be patriotism towards Russia for others
it might be fear some negative emotions
and you remember what I told you about
these deeply held beliefs then both fear
the challenges our core beliefs this is
exactly that
but you must agree that for last year’s
the number of Russian flags and Georgian
ribbons it has gone down on our streets
and I’ve gone to the Victory Day
celebration and have asked people so why
haven’t you put on your Georgian ribbon
this year and what people say that after
separatists but on the symbol on their
clothing in eastern Ukraine it has
become a symbol of separatism and they
will not put it on anymore so there can
be people not via who agree with what
russia does in its foreign policy who
might like Vladimir Putin but they don’t
want to be perceived a separatist in
Latvia even more this is also possible
as you remember from two slides ago
there are Russians who feel belonging to
Russia and who feel belongings Latvia as
well their identities are complex this
is not a unified homogeneous group but
it gets even more complicated than this
these attitudes people tell in surveys
it does not mean in any way that
behavior will follow well let me
illustrate for example when you take a
box in a survey which says well which
asks are you religious and you say yeah
I’m religious it doesn’t mean that you
were gonna go to church on Sundays
attitude does not predict future
behavior and it applies also to Russians
here so we use the essentially
psychological tests which allow to probe
our people are going to be socially and
politically active in the future and the
results of these tests will they say
that our society well is not ready to go
out and protest they don’t believe that
their actions will change much they
don’t think that standing out from the
crowd is something good and this what we
are not like Greeks for example during
financial crisis in Greece there were
many uprisings violent protests while
Latvia we had only one small violent
protest in January 13 with few windows
smashed and this might be bad for
democracy in Latvia but in terms of
security it is a good thing favorable
conditions for mass protests do not
exist Russian speakers are not
homogeneous they’re not unified group
the extent of Russia’s influence should
not be overestimated but by now some of
you must be thinking that he’s trying to
whitewash the whole situation he’s
trying to downplay Russia’s influence in
Latvia and know there definitely are
problems and vulnerabilities that we
have there is potential for polarization
in Latvia there are these two realities
groups of our society live in half
Persian speakers don’t consume any media
in other language than Russian they
don’t consume media in Latvian or
English so they don’t get exposed to
Latvian or Western worldview and this
can be a source of tension there are
also real problems that exist here in
Latvia for example in the eastern region
local region unemployment currently is
18 percent one-eighth this is great
depression level of unemployment and
even more if there were no problems in
that fear Russian propaganda doesn’t
need real things to work with you can
take camera put it at the right angle
and show a small protest as a large
pro-russia uprising at the same time I
want to emphasize that to address these
complex problems that we do have here in
Latvia we should look at evidence at
what are the facts it’s easy to build a
worldview on fear and anecdotal evidence
but it’s hard to think hard to look for
data or to listen what people have to
say but it allows us and policymakers to
see the real picture to address the real
issues not perceived ones we should base
our views on data facts and evidence not
stereotypes and biases and going back to
interview is when Latvians and russians
meet they try to avoid these sensitive
topics in their conversations and in
some extent this shows that our society
is mature they want to avoid conflict
and get along however the next step in
overcoming divisions in our society is
talking and listening these are
sensitive issues these are emotional
issues but I would recommend that you do
talk about
them with your Russian friends if you’re
a Latvian and you’re Latvian friends
if your referent not to argue not to
convince not to enlighten but understand
why they believe what they believe to
acknowledge that the other party has a
valid set of beliefs for good reasons
and that would be a next step in
bringing these divided communities back
together [Applause]
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