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VALDIS ZATLERS – A NEW PRESIDENT OF LATVIA
ALEKSANDRA DOKUCHAEVA,
Head of the Diaspora and Migration Department of the Institute of CIS countries, Moscow
New Latvian President Valdis Zatlers was born and has always lived in Latvia. This is a very significant fact since it indicates that the population would like the government to represent interests of the Latvian people rather than of foreign patrons behaving as if they were full-fledged masters. In that way, Valdis Zatlers’ coming to power is evidence of the fact that the people are unhappy with the policy pursued by previous President Vaira Viķe-Freiberga.
At the same time, the new President is not a professional policy-maker, he is a doctor. He lacks large political experience, and, therefore, a staunch team. That’s why he can become dependent on the forces controlling the Latvian economy and mass media. On the other hand, there were cases when amateur politicians followed policies serving the people’s interests.
Hopefully, President Valdis Zatlers will not be too harsh with the Russian-speaking population that is obviously discriminated. It should be noted though that the President has been brought to power by nationalistic groups. So, the ethnic policy is unlikely to change dramatically.
While voting in the Saeima the Party for Human Rights in the United Latvia, which champions the Russian-speaking community’s interests, supported not Valdis Zatlers, but his opponent for pragmatic reasons, because he is more experienced as a policy-maker.
The government’s ethnic policy can be influenced by the EU. Up to now, the European organizations took no measures against the policy the Latvian authorities pursued towards the Russian-speaking population. But at present, EU is making it clear more and more often that it should be changed. Progress is being made in many respects thanks to the European Parliament Member of Latvia Tatyana Zhdanuk and the organizations of the Russian compatriots in Europe, in particular, the European Russian Alliance. I believe that the new President will take EU’s position into account.
As regards the relations between Latvia and Russia, I think that Russia will not be of first importance to Latvia’s foreign policy, in spite of the fact that Latvia depends on Russia economically. It is NATO and the EU member-states that are of paramount importance. However, if Russia builds up its relations with Latvia preventing the neighbor from making unfavorable moves to it, Russia can influence that country. If Russia continues reacting to such steps too slowly, as it does now, its position will remain as weak as it was when the “Bronze Soldier” monument was removed in Estonia. Russia, with its economic influence, can make Latvia follow the policy that would meet Russia’s interests to a more considerable degree than it does now.
In my opinion, Latvia’s pursuing a more loyal ethnic policy towards our fellow countrymen living there would meet Russia’s interests too. If Russia builds up its relations with Latvia according to observation of the Russian-speaking population’s rights in that country, it will force the Latvian authorities to follow a softer ethnic policy.
July 13, 2007
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