• February 3, 2014
  • 236

Nationalism and chameleonism of the old academic Soviet nomenclature

© Marian Paluszkiewicz

Media informs, that current Lithuanian Intellectualists in a letter submitted to the government  of Lithuania, attacked the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania(AWPL).

Commenting on a fact of submitting the letter, a leader of the AWPL, Waldemar Tomaszewski, highlighted that on the list, the solid arguments are lacking, and emphasised that it is based only on the unsubstantial insinuations. A chairman of AWPL doesn’t eliminate a possibility, that nationalistic organisation ‘Vilnija’ is the author of the letter.

“As media reports, today the group of Lithuanian Intellectualists submitted the letter to the Lithuanian’s sovereign power, in which they attacked  the AWPL. Everything testifies that it is the alternate letter of nationalistic organisation’s ( ‘Vilnija’) authorship, which is not able to show anything else beside attacking Poles when any opportunity arises. In the letter there weren’t cited any arguments: it only contains insinuations having nothing in common with a realistic state of affairs. As it is commonly known, even 6 organisations confirmed the fact of disrespecting human life in Lithuania,  what was strongly presented  by Parents’ Forum of Polish Schools of Šalčininkai Region. According to allegations of the letter’s authors,  connected with an illegitimate election of AWPL ‘s ministers , it’s important to signify absurd of that, rehearsing by >>Vilnija<< activists in 1,5 year.  Not  the coalition took part in the previous  election , but AWPL has figured as freestanding group- Lietuvos lenkų rinkimų akcja. According to the above, it must be said that the authors of the letter ( or Garšva) should be more educated in suffrage”- we read in the response of AWPL’s leader to attack targeted the party.

Waldemar Tomaszewski in his response emphasised that during the previous election to Lithuanian Republic’s Parliament, nationalistic organisations, connected in one coalition didn’t drum up a support of the voters.

“ The authors of the letter probably dislike AWPL’s attendance in governing majority, but their participation is profitable for Lithuanian society. We ought to remind, that AWPL faction in Parliament  initiated series of amendments , approved by  Parliament majority. There adjustments are extremely essential  for citizens of Lithuania, let us mention  ¼ of extension of the  local roads ‘ fund, creating thousands new workplaces as the result of positive taxation changes of touristic sector, whether initiatives directed to providing social justice.

No one of the AWPL representatives wasn’t entangled in any corruptive scandal, the party works righteously for every citizen of our country, what is more, increasing numbers of  Lithuanian electors notice and appreciate it.  A part of signatories of this letter has run for election to Parliament , moreover, 4 nationalistic parties have created coalition, which didn’t gather even 1% of votes.  As it can be noticed, it is a margin rejected by the society, which by such actions as submitting similar letters , is making attempts to remind about their existence.  Many  authors of the letter  are representatives of old academic Soviet nomenclature, being well-to-do people during the time of the  system, whom later fundamentally  changed their outlook or even nationality to gain benefits.”- Waldemar Tomaszewski -the chairman of the AWPL and Euro deputy- emphasised.

The leader of the AWPL, signifies that steps taken against the AWPL aren’t surprising  and reminds that Poles in Lithuania aim only to restoration of what they had possessed at the begging of Lithuanian independence.

“I am not surprised at the next letter causing national discords, because it’s  the aim of some people, on the other hand, signing the letter by Nijolė Sadūnaitė, who has never shifted her outlook, also believes in God- just like Poles in the Vilnius Region, was surprising for me.  Probably she didn’t familiarised insightfully with a content of the letter, also we can predict that she signed it politely- either way, Poles in the Vilnius Region are receptive to cooperation with such people as Nijolė Sadūnaitė and others. Nonetheless, they used to and will denounce the old, academic, Soviet nomenclature, which perfectly mastered chameleonism. I would like to once again emphasise, that Poles claim this, what they had had yet in 1991, when we had been striving for independence altogether, what in 19 years had been in force and what unfortunately in 2010 had become cancelled by Vytautas Landsbergis’ party “- Waldemar Tomaszewski, the chairman of the AWPL highlighted.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2014/02/03/nacjonalizm-i-kameleonizm-bylej-sowieckiej-nomenklatury-akademickiej/

Tłumaczenie by Paulina Sulowska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Paulina Sulowska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.

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