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cultural values as an alternative to the ideals of liberal democracy. The concept
of the “Russian world” broadens the goals of the Compatriots Policy by linking it
to the transcendent mission of the Russian people to defend and disseminate
concrete values. 263 It is important to note that the clash of values does not take
place so much in the ethnic aspect (i.e. Russians vs. Latvians) as within the
framework of values (authoritarianism vs. democracy, “Eurasianists” vs.
“Atlantists”, traditional values vs. secular liberalism).
The international organization Freedom House in its annual edition of Nations in
Transit rates the democratic transition process in 29 countries in Central and
Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In its 2012 rating, Latvia was included in the
group of the most democratic countries, “consolidating democracy”. 264 Latvia
also received the third-highest rating for achievements in implementing
democracy, just behind Slovenia and Estonia. Russia was ranked in the least
democratic group of countries, “Consolidated authoritarian regimes”. 265 Notably,
the Latvian media faces no political censorship and there is competition between
different media outlets. It is therefore possible to obtain alternative information
in the Latvian language. However, Russia’s television channels, which are
popular among Russians in Latvia, are not considered to be free. They tend to
express views that are consistent with those of Russia’s ruling elite.
During the Soviet occupations of 1940–1941 and 1945–1991, Latvia was altered
not only in terms of economic management and political structure, but also in
terms of identity and values. Attempts to build democracy and economic freedom
in the period 1918–1934 266 were resumed in the late 1980s, and this process is
continuing today. The same applies for the restoration of Latvia’s identity as a
European nation state. Overcoming the Soviet ideological heritage and the
Soviet-era Russification process is hampered by Russia’s desire to explain the
Soviet period as a clearly positive era for the development of Latvia. The
contemporary Russian leadership’s authoritarian style is hailed by Russian
television channels in Latvia as an effective way of management.
Russia is capable of maintaining a uniform interpretation of processes and
ensuring similar views on all television channels over the medium term, under its
daily and longer term strategic communications frameworks. The Centre for East
European Policy Studies (CEEPS) study, Outside Influence on the Ethnic
263 Kudors A., (2010): “’Russian World’—Russia’s Soft Power Approach to Compatriots Policy”,
Russian Analytical Digest No 81, 16 June,
http://www.res.ethz.ch/kb/search/details.cfmlng=en&id=117631.
264 See Freedom House (2012): “Nations in Transit”, Table 10, Democracy Score, 2012 Rankings by
Regime Type, http://www.freedomhouse.org/sites/default/files/2012%20%20NIT%20Tables.pdf.
265 Ibid.
266 Karlis Ulmanis took power in a coup in 1934.
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