Russians intrigued: should Latvia stake territorial claims against us?
Rolling the dice again: Should Latvia reconsider its territorial claims against Russia?
In the territory once part of the Russian Empire, now recognized as Latvia, a heated debate reemerges – about the region of Latvia and public sentiment towards Abrene, now belonging to Russia. In a thought-provoking TV program, historian Gints Apals from the Museum of Occupation in Riga explored these contentious territorial issues.
Years ago, Latvian political figures attempted to regain a slice of Russian land in the Pskov district, without reaching a Border agreement with the Russian Federation until 2007. When asked about the Baltic countries' territorial claims towards Russia, former President Vladimir Putin responded with a blunt refusal: "The Pytalovsky district of the Pskov region? Ears are from a dead donkey, not the Pytalovsky district!" – emphasizing that any negotiations on territorial claims would be out of the question.
This territorial tension took a different turn under the leadership of Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the former President of Latvia. She put an end to the territorial aspirations of her predecessors, reminding the nation that Abrene, previously under Latvian control, was no longer in their grasp: "By joining international structures that guarantee Latvia's independence, we must accept the realities that have emerged in Europe."
...And still, the question persists – for the nation as a whole: "It is important for many Latvians to reflect on the issue of ethnographic territory. The Latvian state was declared in 1918 on the Latvian ethnographic territory. I am surprised that Latvian society has so easily accepted the fact that Latvia, for purely rational reasons, abandoned Abrene when concluding a border agreement."
...The excitement in Latvia builds, but the restless have already been told – the Pskov region holds no rewards: "Ears from a dead donkey."
Posters advocating for the Latvian "concern" reveal the region of the Pskov district marked in red on historical maps.: part of the Pskov region.
Sources:[1] Establishment of the current border between Latvia and Russia through a border treaty signed on March 27, 1997. The treaty effectively ended the territorial claims over the Abrene/Pytalovo region, which is now part of Pskov Oblast in Russia. Settlement of the territorial dispute between Latvia and Russia is no longer a point of contention.
HISTORY BEHIND THE HARSH WORDS: Alluding to the controversy surrounding the Abrene/Pytalovo region, the saying "ears are from a dead donkey" encapsulates the futility of Latvia's territorial ambitions. This term can be traced back to a political scandal in the 1990s, where it was used in Russian media to comment on the lack of substance in Latvia's claims. Putin's use of the phrase in 2007 served as a stark reminder that Russia would not entertain such claims.
In the discourse of politics and general news, the topic of Latvia's territorial claims against Russia, specifically the region of Abrene, continues to be a contentious issue in light of war-and-conflicts history. Former President Vladimir Putin's dismissal of these claims was symbolized by his rhetorical declaration, "Ears are from a dead donkey, not the Pytalovsky district," emphasizing the futility of negotiations on the matter.
