Who needs Union of Poles?
The official wing of the Union of Poles in Belarus thinks that Poland is not interested in a strong organization of compatriots in our country.
It also considers the Polish government’s initiatives like the Card of the Pole to be detrimental and anti-Polish.
Belarusian Poles are on different sides of the barricade with their historical motherland. Moreover, Poland has actually left its compatriots in the East and split them into enemy camps with the help of state initiatives like the Card of the Pole. The head of the legal department of the official wing of the organization Eduard Kalosha claimed it at a press conference in Minsk on February 5.
Eduard Kalosha: “At the moment ambassadors and consuls are on one side and some politicians are probably on the other side. It only testifies to the current geopolitics state and we (the Union of Poles in Belarus - ERB) are only the result of this state of geopolitics. Well, the border used to be along the Oder and the current border is along the Bug. Then that wall was made longer – between the two worlds: the West and the East. Poland used to be in the eastern camp and everything was good. Now they have gone to the other camp and you can clearly see who sticks to what policy and vectors”.
In Kalosha’s opinion, Poland does not need a strong and indivisible Union of Poles in Belarus. The dissent provides opportunities for financial machinations, thinks the lawyer of the official organization.
Eduard Kalosha: “Does Poland need a strong Union of Poles? What does it mean? There will be one organization with common financing and accounting. There will not be many Houses of Poles and leaders. They will be a single accounts department: you donate and report this fact. Nowadays there are many of them. They can donate and say: there is dictatorship there, let me give account of it on toilet paper! Nobody knows how much they give and how much is taken!”
The head of Minsk City affiliate of the UPB Cheslau Mulitsa has complained about the fact that Polish diplomats ignore their events.
Cheslau Mulitsa: “We invited Polish diplomats to our Days of Polish culture but they refuse to take part in events organized by the state or state organizations and do not come in a pointed manner”.
The Polish Ambassador to Belarus Henrik Litvin has confirmed that Polish representatives have no contacts with the official Union of Poles headed by Stanislau Syamashka. The Ambassador has explained that the real head of the organization is Anzhalika Borys. Official Poland supports UPB activists headed by her.
Henrik Litvin: “The Polish authorities, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Senate and non-governmental organizations acting in this field support the Union of Poles headed by Anzhalika Borys and have contacts with it. Polish representatives do not have any contacts with structures of the Union of Poles of Belarus that used to be headed by Luchnik and are headed by Syamashka now. The activities of the UPB headed by Luchnik and Syamashka are directed at restricting any other Polish structures from taking part in any kind of legal activities which we cannot support”.
By the way, a meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and Poland will take place in Warsaw on February 12. Probably, Syarhei Martynau and Radoslaw Sikorski will finally reach an agreement concerning the fact who needs Belarusian Poles nowadays.
In the photo (from the left to the right): Alena Bohdan, deputy head of the UPB, Mechyslau Lysy, head of Minsk City affiliate of the UPB, Eduard Kalosha, head of the legal department of the Union of Poles
Author’s photo
