Ambassador of Lithuania in Poland: Many Lithuanians view Poland as a good neighbor

Cooperation with Poland has a strategic dimension for Lithuania; our relations have high potential for development, particularly in defensiveness and energy security issues – said the Ambassador of Lithuania in Poland Šarūnas Adomavičius.

How would you assess Polish-Lithuanian relations?

This year Lithuania is celebrating the 25th anniversary of its independence restoration. Assessing Lithuanian-Polish relations from the times perspective, it should be noted that on the difficult road to independence, in moments when the fate of our country hung in the balance, we were not alone. In our struggle with the Soviet empire we felt the support of the democratic world, the Polish nation in particular.

We remember the help of the Polish ‘Solidarity’ activists and Polish friends that were in Lithuanian parliament 25 years ago. We are grateful to all the Polish people that supported Lithuania on January 13 1991, when Soviet soldiers were shooting, and their tanks were crushing the singing demonstrators who were defending the Vilnius television tower.

Current Polish-Lithuanian I see as good, with a high potential for development. We pursue common goals in the fields of strengthening defensiveness and energy security. We consult and agree while developing positions on international issues.

For many years, we have been successfully developing economic and cultural cooperation, trade, tourism, youth exchange. Poland is Lithuania’s third trade partner, and Polish investments are the second largest among foreign investments. Cooperation with Poland has a strategic dimension for Lithuania.

For many years however, issues raised by the Polish minority in Lithuania remain unresolved: the matter of bilingual signposts in towns populated densely by the Polish minority and spelling of Polish surnames in documents. The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania stated that draft laws about national minorities rights and surnames spellings will be discussed by the Lithuanian parliament in the spring. Can Polish minority count on fulfillment of these petitions?

We endeavor to resolve the issues mentioned in accordance with constitutional provisions and other legal acts. I would like to emphasize that the issue of spelling non-Lithuanian surnames touches not only Polish people, but also Lithuanian citizens of different nationalities. Much focus is paid to ensure that all national minorities have the most positive conditions to function in a democratic country.

In this respect, education in mother tongue is essential. Polish people in Lithuania have the ability to gain education in Polish on all levels of learning. It is exceptional in the European education system, since Lithuania is the only country in which Polish minority may pursue their education in the mother tongue from primary school to higher education.

The branch of Bialystok University in Vilnius is the only Polish higher education institution in the world operating abroad. I can say with pleasure that in Lithuania students of all forms (1-12) have access to textbooks for learning Polish as a mother tongue.

At the same time, I would like to point out current problems of the Lithuanian people in Poland, mainly in the field of education. For years, the issue of sufficient co-financing of Lithuanian schools remains unresolved. At this time, in the Sejny County there are only three schools with Lithuanian as a teaching language and one with Polish-Lithuanian forms, and in the last two years, two more schools were closed. I would like to note that in the early 90’s there were several schools with Lithuanian as a teaching language.

I hope that the newly elected local authorities and mayor of the Sejny city will help reach a positive resolution to many years of efforts of Lithuanian people to commemorate Lithuanian historical and cultural heritage location, including a street linked with the life and work of Lithuanian poet and bishop of Sejny, Antanas Baranaukas. Lithuanian community expects the resolution of the matter of monuments in the parish cemetery in Berżniki which hurt the feelings of Lithuanians.

Naturally, the issues of the Polish minority in Lithuania and the Lithuanian minority in Poland are very important, however they should not overshadow the wider agenda of cooperation between our two countries.

In the summer last year a poll came out in Lithuania, indicating that almost 30 percent of Lithuanians see Poland as an unfriendly country. Where does this notion come from?

Many Lithuanians see Poland as a good neighbor and a friendly partner in the EU and NATO. The Lithuanians have bonds with Poland based on shared traditions of freedom fighting, which survived since Grunwald, anti-tsar uprisings and Solidarity.

At the same time we have to admit, that some stereotypes persist in the mutual perception of the nations. It is mainly connected to the lack of knowledge about each other, which is why a multi-stage dialogue is needed, requiring commitment on both sides.

We cannot allow propaganda from beyond our Eastern border to result in any divisions between Lithuania and Poland. A nice example of the gestures of good-will on the side of the Lithuanian youth is the internet action ‘I Love Poland’, which was met with a positive response of the Lithuanian society.

With the neighboring Poland we are linked not only through shared history, but also current challenges and cooperation. Contact between Polish and Lithuanian youth, non-governmental organizations, and young politicians of both countries in particular, is essential.

I would also like to note the aspect of cooperation between diplomats. My colleagues speak with great fondness about friendly interaction and support from Polish diplomats in various countries and international organizations.

Then how to improve relations between Polish and Lithuanian communities?

I would not talk about improving relations, but rather about the need to stimulate and build new platforms of cooperation. Undoubtedly, culture is worth investing in, as it knows no borders and can bring people together no matter their nationality. We have to admit that contemporary cultures of Lithuania in Poland and of Poland in Lithuania are still not visible enough.

I would like to point out that direct interpersonal relations are hindered by the lack of good transport connections, the distance of 450 km from Vilnius to Warsaw by bus takes almost 8 hours. We hope that the two societies can be brought closer together with the aid of the joint Polish-Lithuanian transportations projects Via Baltica and Rail Baltica.

Honorary consuls contribute significantly to the developing of contacts, working in almost all regions of Poland. This year in Wroclaw, the eight honorary consulate of our country in Poland has been opened.

During his recent visit to Warsaw, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Andrius Krivas talked about the need to build a ‘strategic partnership’ between Vilnius and Warsaw; how and in what fields should it operate?

Lithuania and Poland share many goals and challenges. Due to unstable situation in the region and geopolitical situation of our countries, we are determined to act together, particularly in the field of security policy. The role of the Baltic countries and Poland in strengthening the Eastern flank of NATO takes on a strategic dimension.

I would like to take this opportunity to express gratitude to the Polish for their constant involvement in NATO’s Baltic air-policing mission.

Cooperation in the field of energy, joint projects, are of crucial significance for the security of our countries, as well as the whole region. We are glad that thanks to combined efforts, at the end of this year, construction will be finished on the cross-border power bridge LitPol Link. It will connect not only Lithuanian Alytus with Polish Elk, but also all Baltic countries with European electrical networks.

Other important Lithuanian-Polish project when it comes to energy security, is developing successfully – the gas interconnection GIPL.

Deputy Minister Krivas also announced the meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers of Poland and Lithuania; when could it take place?

The invitation for minister Grzegorz Schetyna to visit Vilnius still stands. We want to maintain the momentum of cooperation with Poland and on the level of Foreign Affairs Ministers, particularly keeping in mind the complex geopolitical situation of our region. It should be noted that the leaders of both of our countries diplomacies use international forums to discuss current affairs.

How does the Polish-Lithuanian cooperation change in face of the Ukrainian-Russian crisis?

Due to the current situation in Ukraine and the real threat to the region, top priority goes to the cooperation of our countries in the field of security policy. During recent meetings of the Defense Ministers and military commanders of Lithuania and Poland, issues discussed included helping Ukraine, among other things by creating trilateral army brigade LitPolUkrBrig, and other matters of cooperation, including the possibility of hybrid warfare.

For Lithuania it is a top-priority project, particularly important in regard to cooperation with Poland and with Ukraine. Creating a joint army brigade will help Ukraine join the area of Euro-Atlantic security.