W. Tomaszewski: We have a programme for Lithuania and Europe

“We have a broad, 30-pages programme for Lithuania, also for Europe. In one of Lithuania’s regions – Vilnius region – we have shown that we are able to manage, we connect people regardless of nationality!” – claims the leader of the Lithuanian Poles Electoral Action Waldemar Tomaszewski, a candidate for the President of Lithuania, simultaneously number 1 on the list of the LPEA in the election to the European Parliament (it is hard to imagine it would be otherwise). Yet in May, the first serious test, after the one and a half year lasting participation in the coalition ruling Lithuania, is waiting for the Polish party. The first round of the presidential election – it is rather a training of the LPEA’s electorate, because no one is rather counting for the armchair of the President of Lithuania for Waldemar Tomaszewski, not this century… Two weeks later however, 25 May, electors will decide whether the leader of the LPEA will be still defending Lithuanian interests of the Poles in European Parliament.

The chairman of the Polish party, announcing the next start in the presidential election, reminded journalists that five years ago when he run for election to the highest office in Lithuania for the first time he won with current President Dalia Grybauskaitė, and he was the fourth amongst seven candidates nationwide. He acquired then 4,68 per cent of electors’ votes, yielding also to today’s colleagues from the ruling coalition: the Prime Minister A. Butkevičius had 11,68 per cent, then the candidate of the party Paksas V. Mazuronis – 6,08 per cent endorsement. Three years later in the Seimas’ election, for the LPEA voted yet 5,83 per cent Lithuanian electors, in majority the Vilnius region inhabitants. According to the Polish party head, Lithuania’s citizens appreciate all the LPEA’s achievements on the local level up to now, competences and honesty of the representatives of that group…

The leader of the LPEA assures that in the election platform the postulates of national minorities don’t dominate anymore – much attention is devoted to the social and economic issues. Recently, admittedly, the leaders of the ruling coalition not always speak with one voice and the MPs of the LPEA often have different ideas for rebuilding Lithuanian economy than for instance the Prime Minister and democrats dominating in the coalition. The car tax or fast imposition of the euro aren’t accepted by the LPEA, but the bill of national minorities prepared by the Polish party also doesn’t evoke the Prime Minister’s admiration…

In the election to the European Parliament in 2009, the Poles Electoral Action had the fifth, the best up to now result on a country scale – 8,42 per cent votes! Was it possible owing to the record low attendance in Lithuania which however didn’t affect Vilnius region – here, the LPEA electors showed the discipline. Is it going to be similarly this year? If Mrs President doesn’t win the election in the first round, the attendance after two weeks, if along with the second round of the election there will be the election to the European Parliament, will be rather low.

The upcoming election will be a test not only for the Polish party and its achievements in nationwide politics (not only regional, as up to now). They will show what considerable influence on the perception of the LPEA and its leader had – sparked off a couple years ago in Lithuanian media and lasting until today – a hate campaign against the Polish party and its leader. Inasmuch as different decisions, moves or declarations of Polish politicians acquired a different evaluation in neutral environment towards the Poles, in the media the critical standpoint was dominating and the political opponents didn’t stopped in their operations – this year a lot of letters aimed at the LPEA and its activity were written. The last of the letters was written by 75 members of the Lithuanian Sciences Academy. Such an assembly is difficult to accuse of marginality or a nationalistic stubbornly, although they are mainly quite aged, patriotically oriented professors …

Source: http://www.wilnoteka.lt/pl/tresc/w-tomaszewski-mamy-program-dla-litwy-i-europy

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