This issue of “Russian Mind” that you are holding in your hands is dedicated to Switzerland. Perhaps, it is difficult to find a country more opposing to Russia – primarily in terms of mentality.
The Swiss are essentially neutral. This does not mean that they agree on everything and with everyone. They identified themselves neither with Nazi Germany nor with Stalin’s Soviet Union, however both opposing powers used the services and facilities of Swiss banks to conduct business. Today, such behaviour is regarded rather as the highest level of cynicism, but the world, in fact, needs all sorts of neutral zones that allow us to maintain common ground in the most tragic situations.
Switzerland is not limited, of course, to lofty geopolitical matters and moralising polemics. This is a beautiful, pleasant, civilised, prosperous country with a very high standard of living in the absence of any natural resources.
The Swiss love working and know how to work. They have not been at war for a long time, but every Swiss has military firearms and military uniforms at home, and they know exactly what and how to do in the event of a hypothetical military aggression. And this fact is also considered by the extremely democratic Swiss as a manifestation of the most direct and truly “popular” democracy.
Swiss ski resorts are famous all over the world. Gstaad is perhaps the most famous of all the luxury resorts in the world.
And every year the city of Montreux is welcoming the most important jazz festival in the world.
This is Switzerland!
Victor Loupan
