Talk by the former Soviet dissident, Vladimir Bukovsky, at Fitzwilliam College on June 14, 2004

Vladimir Bukovsky, who lives in Cambridge, spoke in Russian to an audience of Russian society members and visitors. This event proved so popular that there was standing room only in the lecture hall and some listened as best they could from the doorway! Many had driven some distance from other areas of East Anglia to hear him speak.

Bukovsky related some of his experiences working on Russian archives, including access to secret archives granted by Yeltsin in connection with his role as an prosecution witness in the trial of the Soviet Communist Party in Moscow in 1992.

His talk also focused on his current political activities. He expressed the view that the European Union is profoundly undemocratic, threatening personal freedoms and national sovereignty in ways which he believes strongly resemble the former Soviet bureaucracy.

Bukovsky invited open discussion of these issues and other issues relating to Russia. He was reluctant to dwell in detail on his past involvement in Russian politics, which he has already described in a number of publications, and preferred to focus on present-day politics in Britian and the European Union. He has renounced Russian citizenship and stated that he does not involve himself in present-day Russian politics or social issues. He expressed very pessimistic views about the present and future state of Russia.

The ensuing debate was extremely lively and discussions with Bukovsky continued outdoors over drinks, long into the evening.