Russian Diaspora In Germany, UK Says Feels No Aggression From Local Population

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Russian Diaspora in Germany, UK Says Feels No Aggression From Local Population

Despite the anti-Russia hysteria in Western media, sparked by allegations against Moscow in the Skripal case, representatives of the Russian diaspora in Germany and the United Kingdom told Sputnik that they do not feel any hostile behavior from locals.

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 02nd November, 2018) Despite the anti-Russia hysteria in Western media, sparked by allegations against Moscow in the Skripal case, representatives of the Russian diaspora in Germany and the United Kingdom told Sputnik that they do not feel any hostile behavior from locals.

"The locals do not show any aggression ... In fact, there were no provocations from local residents and the authorities, responsible for the safety of all residents of the UK, have analyzed the situation and informed [us] what is worth doing in case of any conflicts," Oleg Sotnichenko, the chairman of Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in the United Kingdom, told Sputnik on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 6th "World Congress of Compatriots Living Abroad," held in the Russian capital.

After London accused Moscow of orchestrating the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, tensions started to grow in the United Kingdom, but due to timely response of the UK police, any major manifestations of hatred against Russians had been prevented, according to the diaspora's representative.

"The police called the largest Russian-speaking schools and public organizations and informed that if someone calls with threats after these events, then you immediately should inform us and we would stop it," Sotnichenko added.

The Russian diaspora in the United Kingdom focuses on interacting with UK citizens at public events as the latter tend to believe Russians more when they meet them in person and talk, the chairman of the council noted.

"[UK] Prime Minister Theresa May and the government have their own agenda. Basically, I would say that this is an external attitude that does not affect the diaspora in any way. Of course, we are not happy, we are not pleased with such rhetoric because we are Russian compatriots, but at the same time, as many speakers at this Congress have said and say, we are trying to work with civil society in our country of residence," Sotnichenko said.

The diaspora has already held a number of conferences and round tables between Russians and locals with a new event set to take place on November 4.

As for Germany, where local media also tends to negatively cover matters related to Moscow, the Russian diaspora does not feel threatened, but its concerns are gradually rising, Larisa Yurchenko, the chairwoman of the Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots in Germany, told Sputnik.

"In general, no one forbids us anything good and legal. Unlike Latvia, which is now in trouble, unlike Poland, where there is a demolition of [Soviet] monuments. They are demolishing monuments, while here all graves of the Soviet war prisoners are protected in any city of Germany. It is a fact that we have a lot of Russian-speaking schools. And now even bilingual kindergartens and bilingual schools with state participation. Nobody forbids us to develop the Russian-speaking space," Yurchenko said on the sidelines of the congress in Moscow.

However, the Russian diaspora is alarmed by the upsurge in anti-Semitism in the world as it threatens not only the Jewish community, but any ethnic minority living abroad, the chairwoman underlined.

"The saddest thing for me is that in recent years, due to some mistakes in the integration policy with the reception of refugees, the Jewish people have become alarmed. That is a dangerous symptom. The Jewish people in Germany felt very safe after last century and tragedy. And suddenly they have begun to hold seminars in Germany for Jewish children and parents on how to behave in conditions of growing anti-Semitism. Now, we have an official in the Bundestag for the issue of anti-Semitism. It means that this theme exists. Isn't that dangerous for us?" Yurchenko added.

As the diaspora has to function in conditions of negative media coverage of Moscow, the community should have "a competent, calm, balanced and convincing" position in order to defend Russia and the Russian-speaking communities living abroad, according to the chairwoman.

"I see positive trends. The desire of the businesses and the desire of ordinary people to communicate with Russia, and even the desire of politicians," Yurchenko underlined.

According to the diaspora representative, the relations between Russia and Germany in both the state and private sector should rely on energy and security as well as business, thus securing a sustainable cooperation for the years to come.