The past threatens the future

The Day conducted exclusive interviews with the forum participants Vladimir Bukovsky, a Russian writer and human rights activist now residing in Cambridge, and Peter Reddaway, Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Affairs at George Washington University, Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies, Washington, US. In 1976 Prof. Reddaway published in Amsterdam the book Tashkent Trial from which the world learned about the tragic destiny of the Crimean Tatar people and repressions against national movement participants. He was also the London correspondent of the New York-based Chronicle of Human Rights in the USSR. Our correspondent discusses with them the state of democracy in the post-Soviet space.

The progressive public in the post-Soviet space is now worried because democracy is in danger here and needs to be protected. What do you think about this situation?

Vladimir BUKOVSKY: “The tragedy is that the Soviet regime was never fully shattered – it just went bankrupt and wisely retreated. As a result, the same forces, but in a different guise, are still wielding power. They began to gradually restore everything – as far as both the domestic policy and attitudes to neighbors are concerned. Therefore, Russia will have to change the regime. While it is perhaps enough for the other post-Soviet countries to carry out some reforms, Russia needs to break down this dangerous system. I do not think Putin’s regime will hold out for a long time. That we managed to stage a comeback by means of a rigged election does not matter at all. The public questions the legitimacy of both the parliamentary and the presidential elections. Restoration of the Soviet regime should never be allowed to occur. There is a never-ending process going on – mass-scale processions and demonstrations, etc. This is sure to continue because the country has not accepted [the election results].”

Peter REDDAWAY: “I began writing my memoirs this year. I am going to sum up my 50-year-long experience of studying Russia. I have extensively researched the dissident movement in the Soviet Union, with due attention paid to the Crimean Tatars’ struggle. I devoted my career to studying the way the Soviet power acted and the Putin regime is acting now. Yes, we must admit that some rudiments of Stalinism still remain in the political culture of Russia and Ukraine, and they are making themselves known by showing intolerance towards other political attitudes and flouting the rights of ethnic and political minorities. This ideology represents danger to the world, as, sooner or later, this will result in an aggressive foreign policy. This adversely affected the Georgians in the 2008 war. But there is a danger that the Russian regime will try to interfere into Ukraine’s policies and tamper with its political system… Fortunately, the Russian government is weaker than it seems to be, while the progressive and domination public opinion in Ukraine says that the country should tilt to the West, not to Russia. Therefore, although the situation in Ukraine is not balanced, pluralism still allows for democratic processes.”

Interview continued in the next issue