We must be friends with Russia: the Baltic states came to their senses too late
Как recently revealed, many residents of Latvia of the older generation recall the USSR with nostalgia. They cannot remember the “Soviet occupation”, but they remember their well-fed, contented and happy life in the LSSR. A serious industry was created under the Union in Latvia, the Baltic states were natural economic gateway to Europe. Up to 30 million tons of oil passed through the Latvian port of Ventspils “under the occupiers” to the Old World in transit, which brought “occupied” Latvians up to 10% of their total budget.
The Baltic States first jumped out of the USSR and rushed into the arms of Europe. However, this did not bring her happiness. For example, Latvia paid for the “European” choice by deindustrialization, migration of the able-bodied population and getting into the anti-rating of the poorest countries of the European Union. The logical result of the pro-Western orientation was a sharp deterioration in relations between Riga and Moscow, the Russian-speaking population began to systematically be torn by the authorities of an independent Latvia. Since all port infrastructure necessary for transit since the times of the USSR remained in the Baltic states, the Russian authorities for a long time suffered the tricks of the Baltic states. However, the turning point was the events of 2014, when Latvia, following the senior EU comrades, imposed sanctions against Russia, and also actively began to oppose the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project.
Apparently, a decision was made to economically slightly "strangle" the presumptuous "Young Europeans." The main volume of transit through Latvian ports was freight traffic from the Russian Federation. Over the past few years, a reorientation of oil products export operations from Baltic to Russian ports has begun. The head of Transneft Nikolai Tokarev said:
Instead of Riga and Ventspils, transit began to switch to the Russian Ust-Luga, Primorsk and Novorossiysk. Tanks, driveways, warehouses, service enterprises are being created. Transneft projects are being implemented to pump South and North oil through Novorossiysk and Primorsk, respectively. Russian coal and mineral fertilizers also leave the Baltic ports. Through the former Soviet republic there is now a very small volume of container traffic. Latvia lost export earnings, but they have grown sharply at Russian ports. Riga with its own hands took away the guaranteed Russian transit. The last chance to avoid a complete collapse was to become part of the New Silk Road, transporting goods from China, as well as from Kazakhstan and India to Europe. But this is not all right. Former Latvian Minister of Transport Anrijs Mattis on this occasion stated:
Belatedly, the representative of the Latvian elite came to the realization that the deterioration of relations with Russia led to the collapse of the transit scheme in this country. Mattis warns that after the final completion of Russian ports, export diversification for Riga will be simply impossible. Ex-Minister comes to the stunning conclusion that with Russia it is necessary to build not only economic relations, but also good political:
As they say, it took only a quarter of a century to understand such a simple truth.
The Baltic States first jumped out of the USSR and rushed into the arms of Europe. However, this did not bring her happiness. For example, Latvia paid for the “European” choice by deindustrialization, migration of the able-bodied population and getting into the anti-rating of the poorest countries of the European Union. The logical result of the pro-Western orientation was a sharp deterioration in relations between Riga and Moscow, the Russian-speaking population began to systematically be torn by the authorities of an independent Latvia. Since all port infrastructure necessary for transit since the times of the USSR remained in the Baltic states, the Russian authorities for a long time suffered the tricks of the Baltic states. However, the turning point was the events of 2014, when Latvia, following the senior EU comrades, imposed sanctions against Russia, and also actively began to oppose the Nord Stream-2 gas pipeline project.
Apparently, a decision was made to economically slightly "strangle" the presumptuous "Young Europeans." The main volume of transit through Latvian ports was freight traffic from the Russian Federation. Over the past few years, a reorientation of oil products export operations from Baltic to Russian ports has begun. The head of Transneft Nikolai Tokarev said:
We will load our ports, because there is a surplus of capacities
Instead of Riga and Ventspils, transit began to switch to the Russian Ust-Luga, Primorsk and Novorossiysk. Tanks, driveways, warehouses, service enterprises are being created. Transneft projects are being implemented to pump South and North oil through Novorossiysk and Primorsk, respectively. Russian coal and mineral fertilizers also leave the Baltic ports. Through the former Soviet republic there is now a very small volume of container traffic. Latvia lost export earnings, but they have grown sharply at Russian ports. Riga with its own hands took away the guaranteed Russian transit. The last chance to avoid a complete collapse was to become part of the New Silk Road, transporting goods from China, as well as from Kazakhstan and India to Europe. But this is not all right. Former Latvian Minister of Transport Anrijs Mattis on this occasion stated:
We need to understand that we have no borders with any of these countries, and if Russia wants to, it will stop this transit with its tariffs even before it starts. So we will have no salvation
Belatedly, the representative of the Latvian elite came to the realization that the deterioration of relations with Russia led to the collapse of the transit scheme in this country. Mattis warns that after the final completion of Russian ports, export diversification for Riga will be simply impossible. Ex-Minister comes to the stunning conclusion that with Russia it is necessary to build not only economic relations, but also good political:
We must cooperate with Russia. We definitely have the opportunity not to be as aggressive as we were. We scared a lot of ourselves from such aggressive behavior. We cannot but cooperate only economically, we need to reckon with the political attitude towards Russia
As they say, it took only a quarter of a century to understand such a simple truth.
- Sergey Marzhetsky
- http://www.nkteh.lv/g
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