“They have not concealed their anti-Polish views even before”. Experts about the letter against EAPL

For a long time Polish-Lithuanian tension has been growing; the yesterday’s letter of artists, scientists and socio-political activists brings nothing new, political scientist Andrzej Puszto and sociologist Bogusław Grużewski claimed.

“It is difficult to draw far-reaching conclusion, although the very atmosphere is becoming more and more hectic. The signatories of the letter have not concealed their anti-Polish views even before. I do not regard this as something new”, Andrzej Puszto, the head of the Politcal Science Department of Witold the Great’s University in Kaunas, said.

Confrontation does no good 

Yesterday, over 60 representatives of Lithuanian science and culture and Sąjūdis’ members signed an appeal on dismissal of Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania’s members from the coalition. According to the letter’s initiators, the recent public actions and statements of EAPL’s representatives affronted the memory of the 1991’s combatants and fallen for Lithuania’s freedom and independence; moreover, encouraging to ignore Court’s decisions and acts discredits Lithuania internationally.

Politicians’ reaction was rather moderate. “I regard this as an appeal of a group of citizens. The letter concerns a political party, not the whole Polish minority which has its interests and a right to protect them. I would accuse the coalition that it has promised to find a solution to the touchy issues, yet it still has not found it. The political confrontation, which has arisen recently, truly does no good. Wise, consensual decisions are not proposed, so it reflects in such civil appeals”, Petras Auštrevičius commented.

The coalition’s representative, Social Democrat Gedeminas Kirkilas admitted partly to their fault. “People have right to their own opinion, though I do not think that this letter will have an influence on the coalition’s work. On the other hand, we all have done too little to resolve the problem of national minorities in Lithuania”, he said.

Elites distance themselves from the letter 

Bogusław Grużewski, the head of the Labor and Social Studies Institute, appreciated the aforementioned politicians’ attitude. “As this example shows, we can say that elites distance themselves from the letter. Gedeminas Kirkilas’ view seems especially positive, as he admitted that the coalition could have done more to make minorities’ reactions appropriate”, Grużewski claimed.

Grużewski remarked that political discussion’s presence in the every-day life brings definitely negative impact, although he has not noticed any serious reaction to the letter in his environment. The scientist critically regards the ensuing situation, when, instead of looking for solutions, the politicians still find some counterirritants. “Firstly, mr. Tomaszewski’s statement, then President’s accusations. This all is very distant from normal governmental work. Particular propositions should  have been propounded and we should be discussing them now, which solution would be more efficient and would satisfy the Polish minority”, Gużewski stated. Letters of this kind, according to the sociologist, can only make the situation more tense. The scientist, however, definitely do not want to describe the Lithuanian society as nationalistic.

They included their visions in the situation 

“Kirkilas himself admitted that they have done too little. And this is proper attitude. Of course, some of the signatories are authorities on different fields and this somehow authorises anti-Polish views, although many understand that the letter confronts only EAPL. But if we look at the comments, we will obviously find mr. Tomaszewski’s name there, yet more frequently it is the whole Polish minority that is being spoken about”, Grużewski added.

Although the situation is rather serious, the letter is rather the reflection of the present situation, not a catalyst of social behaviors. “Generally, the situation is becoming tense. I do not think, however, that this is the next step of the problem’s escalation. I would not dramatise. Professor Vytautas Radžvilas about a year ago wrote a series of articles about his attitude towards EAPL and the Association of Poles in Lithuania. This is only one of the examples, not a sensation. The sygnatories are known for their visions, which they simply included in the current situation”, Puszkto stated.

Source: http://zw.lt/opinie/oni-juz-wczesniej-nie-kryli-swych-antypolskich-pogladow-eksperci-o-liscie-skierowanym-przeciwko-awpl/

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