1989 is the most important year in the history of Eastern Europe that totalitarian communist regimes in this geography had dictated their own people and confiscated their all rights and freedoms for long-term were overthrown by revolutions. Revolutions made the countries of Eastern Europe to transform themselves from authoritarianism to democracy and accept modernization. There is interesting case that the Soviet Union could not intervene to suppress revolutionary processes in these countries, such as 1956 Hungarian riot, 1968 Prague Spring.
Eurasia Diary would like to highlight this through interview from Paul Goble, former special advisor to US State Department and political analyst about revolutions happened in Eastern Europe during 1989.
- Thirty years passed after 1989 revolutions in Eastern Europe. Numerous political experts made different opinions and considerations regarding these revolutions. What is opinion about it?
-The revolutions across Eastern Europe transformed the world, ultimately opening the way for many of these countries to return to Europe and setting the stage for the demise of the USSR. If they had not occurred, the USSR and the Soviet bloc would still be around or would have disintegrated in a much more violent, possibly apocalyptic way. And that is alternative to all the freedoms that these peoples have gained.
- From your viewpoint, could we consider that the establishment of CSCE and the eradication of Brejnev doctrine by Gorbachev administration as stimulus to invigorate mass demonstrations and reforms in Eastern Europe?
-When it became clear that Moscow would not prop up the regimes in Eastern Europe, their fate was sealed. These were regimes imposed by Moscow, not created by the peoples of these countries. As soon as Moscow ended its unqualified support, they could not survive.
- Did civil and political activist groups in Western Europe influence activist groups in Eastern Europe to confront long-term violence of totalitarian communist governments?
- The West both governmental and civic promoted these changes with broadcasts and exchanges. Over the long term, these played an essential role, but they were not the underground conspiratorial actions that some Russian commentators are suggesting now.
- What positive consequences at present time we could see in Eastern Europe after 1989 revolutions?
- These countries have acquired the right and power to adjust their own mistakes. Many have moved in positive ways; others have slid back in less positive ones. There is more democracy, more freedom, and a better life for millions.
By Yunis Abdullayev