Thoughts of a Prosecutor
An Interview
By Maria Kushnir
In a small town in Russia, lives one of the strongest people I know. My grandma was a prosecutor in the town of Dimitrov. She lived through a very dangerous time in Russia. Her family owned two Rottweilers to protect themselves from the criminals in their neighborhood. My grandma is a very emotionally strong person. She has good problem-solving skills. She is a truly inspiring model. Everybody can look up to her because she has a lot of wisdom.
How did your past help you become who you are today?
I was a good student when I was young. I loved history very much. This helped me to enter the law faculty of the university. The knowledge I gained became the basis for my professional career as a prosecutor.
Who was your inspiration that made you become who you are today?
My inspiration was my mother. My mother always told me that I was smart. I always wanted to correspond with her image of me.
Was it easy to get into the university? Were there special subjects that helped you to become a prosecutor?
To enter the university, you had to pass a competition and get good grades in each subject. You had to pass exams in each subject, but gold medalists only took one exam because they got straight A's at school. I was among those medalists who took only one exam and I passed that exam with an A+. I was accepted to the university.
What was a skill that helped you in your profession?
One skill that helped me in my profession was public speaking in the courtroom. Another unique skill that helped in my profession was knowing all the laws. It is important to know all the laws because you have to apply them fairly to each case.
What was the biggest opportunity you had in life?
The biggest opportunity in my profession was a job opportunity in a ministry in Moscow. I had to refuse this opportunity because I needed to give more time to my children. I do not regret it because my children grew up to be very good people. My daughter became a teacher and my son became a successful financial director.
What was your biggest regret that you had in your life?
One of the biggest regrets that I had was that I lived in a small town near Moscow, instead of living in the capital. If I lived in the capital I would have had more opportunities for entertainment such as museums, theatres, and parks. I love to go to museums and theaters.
Would you fix that regret if you had an opportunity?
No, I would not fix the regret. If I lived in the capital, I would not have been able to see both of my children because I would have had to go to work very early in the morning and come back very late at night. My children’s childhood was a very dangerous time in our country, and that’s why I had to work near my home and close to them.
What changes are you glad to see in future generations?
I am glad that the new generation is learning about the world faster thanks to modern technologies. I am also happy that the next generation has more opportunities to travel around the whole world and to use their skills.
What modern technologies are you most impressed by?
Of the new modern technologies, the ones that surprised me the most were the Internet and smartphones. In my youth, there were only TVs and cable phones. To watch TV outside, you had to have a big antenna. All processes are much faster than they were in the past. For example, the process to get information. When I was a student I used to go to the library to find all the information I needed to do my homework or prepare for exams.
What lessons or values from your life do you want to pass on to future generations?
I would like to pass on to the future generation the value of honesty because people cannot live happily if the government of the state is dishonest.
What advice do you have for future generations?
To be kinder, to forgive the mistakes of others. To have more empathy for people who are less fortunate than them. It is important is to use all the opportunities that life gives you, and to not waste your time.
Do you want to add anything?
The younger generation should understand that everything that surrounds them, as well as their own knowledge, is built on the work and knowledge of previous generations.
Why is it important to acknowledge this?
The young generation should understand and acknowledge the past so that they can draw the right conclusions today and not make the same mistakes that their elders made when they were younger.
