TV debate clash: JKP candidate questions 'Stabilitātei!' over renewed ties with Russia
During a pre-election TV24 debate, JKP's Jānis Citskovskis pressed 'Stabilitātei!' representative Svetlana Čulkova on her party's plan to restore economic cooperation with Russia and Belarus, but the exchange turned into personal accusations instead of a substantive answer.
In the latest episode of TV24's pre-election debate series "Priekšvēlēšanu debates. Cīņa par Latviju," Jānis Citskovskis of the New Conservative Party (JKP) confronted Svetlana Čulkova of the "Stabilitātei!" party over her party's election platform, which calls for restoring and expanding economic cooperation with Russia and Belarus.
Citskovskis asked directly whether this position amounted to a wish to increase the influence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Russia in Latvia.
A vague response
Čulkova confirmed that the party's program does indeed include a pledge to restore economic cooperation with Russia and Belarus, but she declined to elaborate further, responding only with the word "That's it!"
From policy to personal attacks
Citskovskis followed up with an ironic remark, suggesting that the next proposal from "Stabilitātei!" might be to reintroduce settlements in Russian rubles. The comment drew genuine applause from the audience in the hall.
In response, Čulkova did not address the substance of the question. Instead, she made a remark referencing Citskovskis's alleged connection to a case involving former Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš's flights, as well as a criminal case against Citskovskis himself. The debate thus shifted from a discussion of the party's foreign economic policy to mutual personal accusations.
The "Priekšvēlēšanu debates. Cīņa par Latviju" series aired on TV24 on Sundays throughout September and is funded by the Media Support Fund using state budget resources.
