Kristians Rozenvalds: ‘It is brilliant how Putin holds 75% population on the same wavelength’

Badminton unites people

Kristians, what is the aim of your visit to Kazan?

Here the European Badminton Championships is being held. I took patronage over the Latvian Badminton Federation. I like this sport very much, my children play it. I always loved playing, and slowly blended in this Federation. Somehow it happened that now I lead and promote badminton in Latvia. This sport unites people. It is not very popular, especially in Latvia. Your former President Medvedev said that badminton improves response, movement, ability to make quick decisions, eyesight. All that is true. You can play badminton in any small room, it is very affordable.

'This sport brings people together. It is not very popular, especially in Latvia.' Photo: Maksim Platonov

People are not ashamed of him. It's like in the song 'I want someone like Putin'

I have a question for you as a PR expert. You, probably, saw Putin on a tank, in a fighter aircraft, with a naked torso, how he rescues Siberian cranes, tigers, comes up with an amphora and in many other guises. Have his image-makers overdone with such images of the President, what do you think?

We need to consider from both sides. The first side is a professional environment of communicators, PR experts, political scientists, political strategists, etc. It's brilliant how Vladimir Putin holds 75% population on the same wavelength. He does not make big mistakes, the team do not allow wrong things. Maybe a couple of people tried to deride him, but he 'played over'. The average Russian does not consider it necessary to discuss him – he is a kind of sacred cow. People are not ashamed of him. It's like in the song 'I want someone like Putin'. Everything is right.

On the other hand, today we have made this Putin, tomorrow with the same resources we can run another 'Putin'. The genre of politics is not subjected to some rules of the game. Now they do what they want. And using PR resources they do even inadmissible, but necessary. If we talk about the world, it doesn't refer to Putin or his friends. They were co-founders of the existing order in world politics. They were one of the main developers of this. Initially, it was done in America, now in Russia. Edge smoothing has always been, but now there are not even the edges.

Great strength is needed to retain the agenda which Putin makes. It may seem that it's simple: he is just sitting in the Kremlin, drinking tea. But there is a continuous tension: you need to keep 100 kg of weight and pretend that you are standing firmly on your feet, smiling. It is very hard. And all the metal may split at any moment. I am sure that all those people who are engaged in brand image, also understand this.

Latvians and Russians – like husband and wife on the verge of divorce

Let's talk about the other topic. In Latvia there is a Russian-speaking diaspora. How burning is the issue of the Russian language and the Russians themselves?

There are two peoples which speak different languages using different letters in writing, going in different churches. There are factors that can part. Not everyone is satisfied with the plot of the solution of the problems which is operating in the country.

For example, a family has been living together for many years, they have children, but husband and wife are on the verge of divorce. There are two options. The first option is to sit down to table, say that it is impossible to be silent and they should speak out. The second option — knowing that you are a scum and you have many sins, but you know that you have children of preschool age, and they have to live together with the father and the mother for some time. You should choke down, not talking to each other. After all, you can quietly celebrate the New year, to give each other gifts, to go together to the cinema, watch TV, eat chips together and break wind in the sofa. To live a simple life and not to show off: 'I could live better without you.' There is no chance to try to explain that we, Latvians, are right, and you, Russians, are not. The only option is to not talk about it and live a peaceful life. You can stimulate other things: common friends or common enemies. It's what we should do.

The only thing we can do is to make an agenda for tomorrow. Both sides are interested in raising this issue: the Russians – that they are repressed, the Latvians – that they are invaders. A new agenda needs to strangle the previous one.

As soon as you give a big language the same opportunities as to a little, this big language, by definition, swallows a small one. Photo: shtab.lv

Does Russian language have an official status in the country now?

Officially it has no status. No matter how tolerate I am to many Russian issues, I'm still Latvian. And so it is here. As soon as you give a big language the same opportunities as to a little one, this big language, by definition, swallows a small one.

The situation is following: in the shops, everywhere everyone speaks Russian. But if you want to work, for example, as a doctor, you should speak Latvian.

'Fears about Russia are going off-scale'

What do people in Latvia think about military actions of Russia? What do they think about the conflict with Turkey?

Although problems with the language have faded, people still fear. We have areas, like Donetsk. There is a risk of the Donetsk scenario in Latvia.

We have many people who are over 70. They remember a lot. My grandfather was born in 1908, he survived the First World War and the Second World War. He remembered the 1940s. The fear of the occupation of Latvia by Russia is in our blood. Fears about Russia are going off-scale.

Five years ago the relationship between Latvians and Russians were relatively calm, but the current rhetoric of Russia makes us think that Putin will enter and Russian will go to meet us. And what does Latvian think? It is necessary to give the slap in the face to the Russian, who has not entered yet. In Latvia, the Russians are perceived as potential traitors.

Captured in 60 hours

Some Western analysts have calculated that Russia can capture the Baltic States in 60 hours. Do you think this scenario is possible?

There is no great need in a war between Latvia and Russia, Russia and Turkey. There is another problem – fatigue from the agenda that exists at the present time.

There is a good option to shuffle the world. Nobody goes to Putin and Medvedev and asks 'Why has a pension decreased? Incomes have declined by a third, in compare with the euro.' It actually might seem a stupid question. A person asking that question is an enemy of the people. 'We are at war with the Turks, NATO. The war is going on all fronts. How can you ask that?'

I thought that the world will take upon itself Ukraine first. Initially, many countries were involved due to sanctions. None of them is involved in a war, but with the sanctions everyone is involved. But with Ukraine it hasn't worked out. Syria worked out perfectly. It has drawn off the attention. Then, the refugees appeared – it's even better.

The fact that Turkey had shot down your plane, you should thank this country for it. You now have a new enemy with whom to fight. Under the current regime, Russia has a little choice for the enemies. To lure Madagascar as the enemy – nobody cares about it. But Riga, Jūrmala, Latgale, Latvian East or Estonia, Narva, Tallinn – they are more interesting. Even more than Syria.

To be honest, until the events take place in Donetsk or Damascus, I'm even glad for that. They are fighting there, being frolic, making up television reports, scare people and motivate in some way. I think, analytical speakers are already developing a script and with Latvia too. We should try to move away, so there was no reason. Be on the lookout.

A minor role in Europe

Latvia joined the EU. Do Latvians feel themselves as full-fledged Europeans now or feel some inferiority?

People often ask that in Russia. It is like: 'You, guys, were cool when you were with us. And now you're on the sidelines.' When a Latvian response that he or she feels inferior to the Germans, they say: 'There you are. We have told you!'

You shouldn't compare it. If we feel a little uncomfortable, our attitude that we had to escape from there never changes. Yes, we recognize the fact that in that party we were the most West, and in this — we are the most East. But the set of rules that we must adopt to join the EU – the development of democracy, human rights and everything else – it is incomparable things.

'If in Latvia there are at least five Tatars, they definitely have some kind of association.' Photo: tatar-congress.org

'If in Latvia there are at least five Tatars, they definitely have some kind of association'

Are there Tatars in Latvia? How do Latvians feel about them? If yes, are you acquainted with someone of them?

We have Tatar community. They are many, about several thousand. We have some kind of hypocrisy: we must show that we support other peoples. For that reason they are provided with support in order they could form their community, sing together, gather in some place, sing and dance in a ring, hold meetings. And if in Latvia there are at least five Tatars, they definitely have some kind of association. For example, Russians say to us: 'You don't like others'. We will reply: 'Why? See how Poles, Jews, Germans, Lithuanians are happy here.' But, honestly, I do not remember anyone boasting that he is Tatar. But, also, we have nothing anti-Tatar.

Anyway, Latvians know about Kazan. We remember during the Yeltsin era Tatarstan declared about its intention to split off. That time we thought that they are brothers in misfortune. Latvians know that in Kazan there are good financial resources. They know about KAMAZ and other useful things that go to the world from Tatarstan.