Why in Norway it is impossible to mention the name of Vladimir Putin in a positive way? What is the attitude to Russia? Well-known European historian, doctor of Sciences Bern Nystad told about the political climate of Norway, about the hypocrisy and duplicity of the authoritiesto her, about the absence of many basic freedoms and on the participation of the country in the actions of NATO in different countries. The Norwegians have not changed since the days of Ibsen, and the play “enemy of the people” has not lost relevance in the XXI century.
— Znamenityyy Sovetskiy historian Mikhail Pokrovskyiy somehow blamed their opponents, that for them history is a policy overturned in the past. How do you feel about this approach?
— I agree, history is politics. Probably so — always and everywhere.
— Relations between Russia and the Scandinavian countries more dependent on history or the current situation?
— Now these relations are quite bad. I believe that this is due to history, but I don’t think the story is so important. It is more connected with the present. Our media constantly claim that Putin — the aggressor, Russia is a dangerous country. This is due to the situation in Ukraine. The present relations are determined by the current situation in the world.
— You wrote a very interesting thesis about the ideology of Vladimir Lenin and the revolutionary-populist Pyotr Tkachev. But for views on the present you got fired from the University of Oslo, is this true?
— Yes, it’s true. We have all politicians are globalists, all the media support of the globalists. Today Putin’s Russia is a challenge or even a threat to them. So they constantly claim that he is a dictator, a dangerous man, etc. and I tried to say something else, and they just fired me. For our politicians it is very important that people in Norway and in the Western world do not know the truth about Russia, about Putin. This means that to criticize our government is dangerous. People are well aware. Our state television is sheer propaganda. I have no TV. I read the news on the computer. And yet I have to Fund this TV because I have the address. According to our law, if a person has an address, it needs to Finance the state TV. In my opinion, it’s just a denial of human rights. It is very strange that our politicians claim that in Russia there is no freedom.
— We have the notion of academic freedom. There are Russian nationalists, anarchists, liberals and others who disagree with the government, including in the teaching environment. But they are working quietly, they leave the pulpit because universities need freedom of expression and research.
— We have, unfortunately, the situation is different. Of course, my colleagues are well aware that what our media and politicians are saying about Russia is just a lie. And they understand that to say something else, to criticize the government — it is dangerous. Not necessarily the person immediately lose their jobs, but he can’t get grants, can not freely go about their business. I have friends, they all say: “Until you got a steady job, it is better not to say anything about contemporary Russia and Putin, it is better to write something about Lenin or other historical materials.”
— Norway is a NATO member. Inplace with NATO , she was directly involved in the aggression against Libya. Its troops fought in the former Yugoslavia, in Iraq, Afghanistan… NATO Secretary General, personally responsible for the continuing bloodshed in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan , the former Norwegian Prime Minister Stoltenberg, and — the social Democrats, the so-called Norwegian labour party. And pri in your policy saying that Russia is aggressive.
— Yes, it is hypocrisy and deception. What can I do?… I’ve written this year and published a paper about Putin. In my opinion, this is the only book in Norway, which claims that Putin is a good politician. But our media this book, of course, entirely ignored.
— You know ordinary people of Norway that NATO did with Libya? The Norwegian planes were killing Libyan kids, typical Norwegian knows?
— This is a complex question. The media reported something about it, but not very detailed. Just that NATO bombed Libya to overthrow the dictatorship. But today people have become more critical of official propaganda. Now we accept a lot of refugees. In my opinion, is a big threat to Norwegian society. And, of course, people understand that the Americans stirred up this mess in Syria and the refugee crisis connected with it. So I think that gradually more and more people begin to think for themselves more critically. And our media support of politicians, the establishment. There is only one small opposition newspaper.
— Inyou feel a politician?
— Yes, I believe that I am a dissident. Since I have no children. If I had children, I probably would have just stayed silent. Then it would be too dangerous to lose a job, etc. I believe that the ongoing power politics — just suicide for Norwegian companies. We accept so many refugees that after 30-40 years, the ethnic Norwegians will become a minority in Norway. I think it’s just the end of Norway. And our globalists say it’s good, but if you are against emigration, you are an extremist or worse.
For them Putin is a major threat because he is an independent politician. But he’s just not a globalist, he argues that each country has the right to conduct its policy, to have their rights and so on. Of course, for the globalists is a very big threat. Although our politicians are well aware that Russia poses no military threat to the West.
— It is believed that the masters of life to consciously accept the refugees. Owners and managers of Statoil and Norsk Hydro and other companies specifically want more refugees to lower wages, destroy labor market and guarantees that unions fought, and ultimately – and the unions themselves. It is more important than profit, not national interest. In your opinion, is it so?
— Yes, it is, and I think it’s terrible. Our politicians — almost to the occupants. I live in an occupied country. Although all the media, all politicians argue that Norway is the best country in the world, the most free… I think it’s like under Brezhnev you. Then the Communists claimed that the Soviet Union is the best country. It’s even more dangerous now to criticize the authorities in Norway, the criticism, for example, Brezhnev in the Soviet Union.
One woman in our Ministry of foreign Affairs said that the agreement with the European Union contrary to the Norwegian Constitution. When this happened, the authorities immediately said that she was crazy and sent her to the hospital for the mentally ill. Very strange, like a crazy person worked for the foreign office?… So I try to talk with Russian journalists, this for me is the insurance.
— Do the Norwegians remained the Norwegians described by Ibsen?
— Ibsen is a very good play “enemy of the people”. I believe that the ruling of the Norwegian society — almost the enemy of the people.
Prepared for publication by Yuri Kondratyev
