Grybauskaite: Komorowski is my friend

President Dalia Grybausakitė while being hosted today (14^th September) at the harvest festival in Šalčininkai, addressed the inhabitants of this region and guests in Polish. It is the third visit of the head of the country in the Vilnius Region in the last two months.

The President referred in her welcoming speech to the multinational culture of Lithuania, which influences the fact that she can use both Russian and Polish languages.

Grybausakitė clearly emphasised that despite his or her nationality, every citizen of Lithuania is a Lithuanian. “You are all Lithuanians, because you live in Lithuania, work here, your families are from Lithuania and we are one economy” – said the President who also welcomed the representatives of the President of Poland Bronisław Komorowski. “I would like to welcome the representatives of the Polish President, who is my friend, and I would like to say that Lithuania and Poland are currently together” – stated the head of the country while talking about the threat from Russia.

„Now there are no other issues than to be together in a state of readiness, in work and in friendship. I would like to welcome everyone in Šalčininkai. Let us be together during those days that at present are not easy for Europe” – said Grybausakitė.

Dalia Grybausakitė

When asked about the new draft of the law on national minorities registered by the EAPL, the President replied: “Right now I would like to refrain from commenting on any of the laws. Currently we have three or four, and maybe even five projects. I love every person living in Lithuania, because they are all its citizens, I can speak in every language of the national minorities.”

A counsellor of President Komorowski, Tomasz Borecki was present during the festival, and on the behalf of the President he read a letter directed to the citizens of the Šalčininkai Region: (…) Annual harvest festivals are a special celebration. They strengthen the feeling of one’s root and identity, homeliness, are associated with the recurrent cycle of nature and family soil, succession of generations which have been plodding away for its sake. With pride I can say to you that you are the heirs and hosts of this beautiful and obliging legacy. This is a land impregnated with history. This land that remembers Mickiewicz, Słowacki, Śniadecki, Wańkowicz, Miłosz, contains the history of many nations and traditions. In the independent Lithuania the Šalčininkai Region and the whole of the Vilnius Region are the image of the cultural wealth. An example of this are the today’s celebrations of the harvest festival in Šalčininkai, during which many local municipalities and rural communities present their achievements. I am happy that the Polish community is progressing and contributes to the life of free Lithuania.”

Also the president of the Foundation „Aid to Poles in the East” Janusz Skolimowski, Consul General of the Republic of Poland Stanisław Cygnarowski, the leader of the EAPL Waldemar Tomaszewski and the representatives of the Polish fraction in Lithuania have all visited the harvest festival.