TV programme tests election candidates in fictional crisis

Latvian Television’s “Aizliegtais paņēmiens” programme is testing how candidates for the Saeima would make decisions and cooperate during a crisis, LSM reported.

The election exercise, titled “X Hour in Silgale,” is set in a fictional small town in Latgale, 18 kilometres from the Russian border. Silgale has about 7,000 residents: 54% are Latvians, 40% Russians and 6% people of other ethnicities.

The candidates must respond to a series of escalating events. The first involves a Russian flag in a house window, a death and growing polarisation. They must consider whether to apologise to the widow, whether the police are responsible and whether the head of the State Police should be suspended.

The exercise also raises questions about whether a person’s views could justify cancelling a visa, whether the Russian flag should be banned and whether the prime minister should address the situation.

In the second scenario, tensions escalate in Silgale as protests take place. Candidates must decide how to deal with young people holding an unauthorised protest and whether to allow a demonstration against alleged police arbitrariness.

The third scenario involves Russia becoming involved in the events in Silgale and drones appearing. Candidates must decide how to respond to comments by a Russian military adviser, whether to call and speak with him, whether residents should be evacuated and whether Silgale should temporarily become the seat of government.

A crisis management centre has been established in a bunker, with five people receiving reports prepared by the State Security Service.

“Aizliegtais paņēmiens” previously organised election-related tests for politicians. Eight years ago, it held an escape-room game called “Latvia,” while four years ago politicians took part in a film screening exercise designed to reveal their views on current events through their interpretations of film titles and images.