Vladimir Linderman. About the Latgale People’s Republic Project
Two pictures posted on social networks have caused a tremendous commotion in Latvia and abroad. In one of the pictures, the unknown author depicted the arms of Latgale with the words “The Latgale People's Republic”, on the other - a map of Latvia, where the territory of Latgale was graphically highlighted. Those who see “polite men” everywhere, received confirmation of their fears: separatism on the threshold.
The security police have allegedly discovered the “Russian trace”, the question is going to be considered by the Seimas Commission on National Security.
More than two years ago, I proposed to hold a public discussion on the autonomy of Latgale (as part of the Republic of Latvia, of course, we are law-abiding people ...). In December 2012, a fairly representative scientific conference was held in Daugavpils, where the problem of autonomy was discussed from the political, economic, legal, and ethno-cultural points of view. The reaction of the authorities was nervous: on the eve of the conference, a criminal case was opened against us, its organizers, the PB conducted searches in our apartments. The case, by the way, is still not closed, gathering dust somewhere in police vaults ...
The topic stalled for a while, but was revived again after the triumphal return of Crimea to Russia. And the initiative of its new discussion came not from, conditionally speaking, “separatists”, but from the Latvian authorities themselves. I think they had two motives for this, or rather their mixture. First, the fear that Russia, returning the Crimea, will also recall its western frontiers. And secondly, I really want to strengthen the confrontation between Russia and the “old” Europe. So, partly it is such a contrived hysteria: guard, Putin is going to seize Daugavpils and Ludza, to the aid of the freedom-loving West! ..
Something our ruling, we must admit, have achieved. The Western media, without burdening themselves with a serious analysis of the problem, simply broadcast the point of view of the Latvian nationalists. For example, the Austrian Die Presse in the article on the threat of separatism in Latgale, managed to overlook the existence of the Latgalov ethnos (I use the term Latgal, not Latgal, so as not to confuse ethnic Latgal and the entire population of Latgale in general). There are no words about the latgals in the article, as if there are none. There is no people, there is no problem ... It is said about Russians that they appeared in Latgale as a result of “Soviet industrialization”. What is an undoubted lie: it is precisely in Latgale that Russians have very deep, pre-Soviet roots. It was mentioned that in the language referendum most of the inhabitants of the region supported the state status for the Russian language, but this was presented as an achievement of the Russian propaganda ...
The general meaning of this and similar publications boils down to one thing: ahtung, Russia is preparing to implement the scenario “Crimea-2” or “Novorossiya-2” in Latgale! At the same time, not a word of criticism addressed to the European bosses, which has been covering and encouraging aggressive Latvian nationalism for more than two decades. Nothing strange that the Russian people in Latgale, and indeed in all of Latvia, are looking to Russia with hope.
A few of my personal thoughts and conclusions.
1) I am sure that the majority of Latgale residents still carry the dream of autonomy in their heart, no matter how lofty it sounds. By “autonomy”, people understand different things, but approximately it looks like this. So that there is a legislative body, more money from the transit goes to the local budget, so that the Russian and Latgalian languages have the same rights as the Latvian. And, of course, so that the region has the opportunity to independently build mutually beneficial economic relations with Russia.
2) The Latvian authorities will never voluntarily grant autonomy to the region. The official ideology of Latvia is ethnic nationalism, and ethnic nationalism at the state level and autonomy are two incompatible things. The aim of the authorities, albeit unrealizable, is the assimilation of Latgale, and not the consolidation of its cultural characteristics. To achieve autonomy is possible only through struggle.
3) Own resistance potential of the inhabitants of Latgale is low. There are practically no energetic youth in the region. Some went to work in the West, some moved to Russia, someone firmly settled in Riga, the most militant are in New Russia. Of course, if there is a serious reason, people will return. The Latgalians, regardless of nationality, love their “land of blue lakes” very much.
4) Ethnic Latgals disappear, assimilating to Latvians, Russians. If everything goes the same way, then in five or seven years they will become a museum ethnos.
5) Russia does not currently have any specific plans for Latvia. This is not insider information - I am far from the corridors of power, just obvious. The anti-Russian hysteria of the Latvian authorities, as I have already said, is partly feigned, partly caused by irrational fears.
This is a sober assessment of the situation at the moment. But things can change. No one today is able to foresee what the consequences of the economic war between the West and Russia will be. One thing is certain: buffer states, including Latvia, will experience the full extent of this war. They are waiting for the most acute crises, including political ones. And, for example, a situation may arise in which the deliverance from Latgale will be for Latvian nationalists the only opportunity to retain power in the rest of Latvia.
The security police have allegedly discovered the “Russian trace”, the question is going to be considered by the Seimas Commission on National Security.
More than two years ago, I proposed to hold a public discussion on the autonomy of Latgale (as part of the Republic of Latvia, of course, we are law-abiding people ...). In December 2012, a fairly representative scientific conference was held in Daugavpils, where the problem of autonomy was discussed from the political, economic, legal, and ethno-cultural points of view. The reaction of the authorities was nervous: on the eve of the conference, a criminal case was opened against us, its organizers, the PB conducted searches in our apartments. The case, by the way, is still not closed, gathering dust somewhere in police vaults ...
The topic stalled for a while, but was revived again after the triumphal return of Crimea to Russia. And the initiative of its new discussion came not from, conditionally speaking, “separatists”, but from the Latvian authorities themselves. I think they had two motives for this, or rather their mixture. First, the fear that Russia, returning the Crimea, will also recall its western frontiers. And secondly, I really want to strengthen the confrontation between Russia and the “old” Europe. So, partly it is such a contrived hysteria: guard, Putin is going to seize Daugavpils and Ludza, to the aid of the freedom-loving West! ..
Something our ruling, we must admit, have achieved. The Western media, without burdening themselves with a serious analysis of the problem, simply broadcast the point of view of the Latvian nationalists. For example, the Austrian Die Presse in the article on the threat of separatism in Latgale, managed to overlook the existence of the Latgalov ethnos (I use the term Latgal, not Latgal, so as not to confuse ethnic Latgal and the entire population of Latgale in general). There are no words about the latgals in the article, as if there are none. There is no people, there is no problem ... It is said about Russians that they appeared in Latgale as a result of “Soviet industrialization”. What is an undoubted lie: it is precisely in Latgale that Russians have very deep, pre-Soviet roots. It was mentioned that in the language referendum most of the inhabitants of the region supported the state status for the Russian language, but this was presented as an achievement of the Russian propaganda ...
The general meaning of this and similar publications boils down to one thing: ahtung, Russia is preparing to implement the scenario “Crimea-2” or “Novorossiya-2” in Latgale! At the same time, not a word of criticism addressed to the European bosses, which has been covering and encouraging aggressive Latvian nationalism for more than two decades. Nothing strange that the Russian people in Latgale, and indeed in all of Latvia, are looking to Russia with hope.
A few of my personal thoughts and conclusions.
1) I am sure that the majority of Latgale residents still carry the dream of autonomy in their heart, no matter how lofty it sounds. By “autonomy”, people understand different things, but approximately it looks like this. So that there is a legislative body, more money from the transit goes to the local budget, so that the Russian and Latgalian languages have the same rights as the Latvian. And, of course, so that the region has the opportunity to independently build mutually beneficial economic relations with Russia.
2) The Latvian authorities will never voluntarily grant autonomy to the region. The official ideology of Latvia is ethnic nationalism, and ethnic nationalism at the state level and autonomy are two incompatible things. The aim of the authorities, albeit unrealizable, is the assimilation of Latgale, and not the consolidation of its cultural characteristics. To achieve autonomy is possible only through struggle.
3) Own resistance potential of the inhabitants of Latgale is low. There are practically no energetic youth in the region. Some went to work in the West, some moved to Russia, someone firmly settled in Riga, the most militant are in New Russia. Of course, if there is a serious reason, people will return. The Latgalians, regardless of nationality, love their “land of blue lakes” very much.
4) Ethnic Latgals disappear, assimilating to Latvians, Russians. If everything goes the same way, then in five or seven years they will become a museum ethnos.
5) Russia does not currently have any specific plans for Latvia. This is not insider information - I am far from the corridors of power, just obvious. The anti-Russian hysteria of the Latvian authorities, as I have already said, is partly feigned, partly caused by irrational fears.
This is a sober assessment of the situation at the moment. But things can change. No one today is able to foresee what the consequences of the economic war between the West and Russia will be. One thing is certain: buffer states, including Latvia, will experience the full extent of this war. They are waiting for the most acute crises, including political ones. And, for example, a situation may arise in which the deliverance from Latgale will be for Latvian nationalists the only opportunity to retain power in the rest of Latvia.
Information