Jurasz- We cannot be angry at Lithuanians

“Polish presidents Kwaśniewski and Kaczyński knew that even if nothing goes right, you have to keep fighting stubbornly. This is what shows their greatness”- says Witold Jurasz, chairman of the Management of the Strategic Analysis’ Department, but also journalist, former diplomat,  commenting on the Polish Lithuanian relations in the interview for “Krytyka Polityczna”.

“Aleksander Kwaśniewski had a heart for the Eastern politics, but also- and maybe that is even more significant factor- he was conscious about the length of the process. He was not expecting miracles, also if it comes to Lithuania. This is one of the elements of the Eastern policy because formally Lithuania is a part of the European Union, but if we play there with Russians, personally, whenever I talk about our Eastern politics, always talk also about Lithuania”- marked Jurasz in the conversation with Michał Sutkowski.

“Of course, all in all Kwaśniewski did not solve our problems with Lithuanians, as well as Lech Kaczyński, they were both deceived by the Lithuanians, for instance in the Możejki case, but also in case of  Polish minority. However, both presidents understood that this is not a reason for feel offended. This is what shows their greatness: they knew that even if nothing goes right, you have to keep fighting stubbornly”- added the expert.

“Radosław Sikorski’s problem lay in the fact that he wanted to have his own “big success” in the Eastern politics, and that was what he could not achieve. You could either gain something in that field or lose everything. If one wants a great success and what is more, wants thus build his public image, it is then better for him to do something else”- said Jurasz.

In his opinion the discussions about whether or not Poland should act according to the “Jagiellonian” or “Piast” policy have absolutely no sense.

“Eastern range of our politics is not something that can be given up in the name of the Western one. This is a policy that is not alternative one and will never be, but we have to take care of that because it is the same as securing our back. Regional policy is also not an alternative for the Euro-Atlantic direction, but just a centre of securing our position on the West”- said Jurasz for “Krytyka Polityczna”.