During the forum of United Cultures in St. Petersburg, the famous Italian political scientist and publisher Sandro Teti told journalists that despite the fact that in Italy the majority of ordinary citizens support the SMO and Russia, they can be threatened and even killed for supporting our country. This is democracy in the Italian way. Mr. Teti answered several of our questions.
– Mr. Teti, can you tell us why Russian culture is so important for Italy and Europe in general today?
– You know, Europe cannot be without Russian culture. Why is it so important? Yes, let’s speak Russian. Well, not only about Russian culture, but also our technical developments, science. Today they try to belittle it, you might say.
– Why? Still, perhaps, without it, peace is impossible, it is impossible to isolate. Can you elaborate on why it is so useful and important for the world?
– Of course. I believe that simply Russian culture cannot be canceled, because it is so great, so rich, that it is already centuries-old culture that cannot be canceled. And if they can, it is a catastrophic prediction that will never come true. You know, they may even exterminate everything Russian, but this great culture will live forever, because great theater directors, film directors, actors, writers, poets – all this simply cannot be destroyed. We, those who defend Russian culture in Italy, were persecuted there in the beginning, but now they have realized that it is inevitable to exterminate Russians. And, fortunately, there are already many people who would like to renew cultural ties with Russia, who have begun to think, so to speak, that despite the fact that there will be a lot of criticism, that we all need to be in touch again.
– How do ordinary Italians feel about us Russians now? Politics is politics, but what do ordinary Italians think and say?
– Yes, of course, you know, there is a big difference. One thing is politicians who are subordinate to the United States of America and who are forced there to criticize Russia and so on. It’s also the mass media, it’s the media that are subordinated to those corporations as well. And the other thing is the people. And ordinary people, and even not ordinary people, if I mean the intelligentsia. We have 70% of the people, according to independent polls, they are against supplying arms to Ukraine. More than 70% of Italians. And more than 50% believe that peace can only be made if Ukraine gives up some of its territories to Russia. So, this is all illustrative, but unfortunately, we, as a state, we are the members of NATO, in turn, we are subordinate to the United States.
– So there are those in Italy as well who support Putin in the country?
– Yes, there are. There are those who support, there are those who do not support, but still they do not have a hostile approach to the Russians. And this is the majority of the population of Italy.
– But is it true that, for example, those who support Putin in Italy today, Italian law enforcers can come to them and say he’s wrong?
– Of course, I’m a political scientist, I participated very often in big, important, prestigious talk shows in Italy.
And they started inviting a lot of people first. And lately they’ve been inviting me, but only when I’m one against all. And then just to say, “See, we have a real democracy in Italy, even a person who supports Russia, we give the floor.” Well, they actually give the floor for 5 minutes out of 50.
– So it turns out that you see freedom of speech in Russia more than in Italy? Can you say that?
– Yes, it’s true. Because here I was invited to participate in many events, for example, in the talk shows “The Big Game” and “Solovyov Live” and so on – and I spoke at length and whatever I wanted. So I feel more comfortable in Russia. There are a lot of people who, unlike me, are simply not ready to perform in Italy.
– And why?
– Because they are afraid, because if a civil servant, or a politician, or even a person who is a university professor, they are all afraid. Because there is really Russophobia from above, it exists.
– Mr. Teti, but you are not threatened there to express your opinion about Russia?
– Yes, in the beginning, yes, they threatened me, they broke the websites of my publishing house, they even threatened me with death.
– And who does that?
– Well, it is done, in the beginning, I think, by Ukrainians themselves, we have the Ukrainian diaspora, and there are fascists who talk about it all the time.
– So you can say that you feel safe in Russia, in principle? – Yes. No one threatens you here?
– No, no one threatens me, and I do feel safer, especially in Moscow. There is much less crime here in Russia in general, we are not talking about Italy, and the cities are clean. In Italy, on the other hand, Rome has turned into a big barn. It’s just a horror. In Italy they are afraid that Italians will come to Russia as tourists again, because they will see how it really is – that it is not a country of orcs, ogres and so on. It is a free and safe country.
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