WBJ: the brand new President of Lithuania, Gitanas Nausėda, selected Poland for his first foreign visit and described this as a sign of how severe our pleasant neighborly members of the family are after a period of "certain stagnation." In Lithuania's new coalition government, composed of 4 parties, for the first time two individuals of the EAPL–CFA birthday celebration, which represents the Polish minority, had been appointed to ministerial positions. How do you view our members of the family in the meanwhile?
Ambassador Eduardas Borisovas: I consider that we're witnessing a return to what could be termed a natural condition characterised by way of jointly close links shaped through our geography, protection issues, mind set, background, culture and our role in European building. Lithuania has all the time been a multicultural nation, with Belarusians, Poles, Jews and Lithuanians living there in quite a few durations of historical past. Lithuania's national id and vigor changed into influenced by using quite a lot of countries and it developed and spread over tremendous areas of Europe. Lithuania is now a democratic nation that respects minorities, including Poles, which make up 7 percent of the inhabitants. The appointment of Rita Tamasuniene (household identify Sadowska) as minister of the indoors, and Jaroslaw Narkiewicz within the place of minister for transportation and verbal exchange – each of whom are contributors of parliament elected from a party representing Poles – pro ves the equality of all our residents.
Will Lithuania regulate the issue of the Polish spelling of Polish names in Lithuanian documents, as demanded by means of many participants of the Polish minority?
This subject may still be resolved however for this to turn up our Parliament needs to vote on it, which hasn't took place to date. I consider that the sooner the matter is resolved the greater, however we ought to wait and see. Parliament has taken three diverse positions on this rely and it is taking into consideration on it, so allow us to wait. however the subject of placing Polish names on road indications in locations generally inhabited via the Polish minority has been regulated positively.
Let me return to the historic event in 1569 when the Union of Lublin become created, a pact between the dominion of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, the Commonwealth of Two countries, which lasted in Europe for 226 years. July of this year celebrations had been held in Lublin to mark the 450th anniversary of that pact. The party was linked to the anniversary of Poland and Lithuania becoming a member of the european and it became talked about all through that ceremony that the Union of Lublin became a predecessor of the european. what's Lithuania's belief of the Union of Lublin?
in the past our view of the Union of Lublin turned into no longer univocal, some historians viewed it as a tool of Polish domination. Now it's viewed as a historic effort to build a union of two equal international locations serving their pursuits and influencing European development. We have been pioneers in creating this kind of legislation-based mostly constitution on our continent, so it's unsurprising that it's in comparison to the technique of constructing a common union by way of so many European countries, all of which have had a unique heritage and experience, to serve building and peace on the continent.
what is going to our cooperation in the eu look like, with the new individuals of the ecu Parliament and the brand new americans in excessive positions within the european?
I trust that our cooperation will be very decent; we've similar positions on a number of concerns and there is a very high diploma of help for the eu in our societies – the greatest amongst all member states. we will cooperate in the Three Seas Initiative community composed of 12 member states based within the area between the Adriatic, Baltic and Black Seas with a purpose to trap up with Western Europe when it comes to infrastructure, superior connectivity, transport, financial development and strengthening power safety.
Lithuania has 11 MEPs, who may be sitting in a variety of european events and groupings, nearly all of them should be in the European people's party. Our nations are completely satisfied that the eu Parliament aren't dominated with the aid of Eurosceptic populists. We don't wish to velocity up the federalization of the eu, however we do want to build a robust union, to communicate in one voice on the overseas scene, particularly in relations with China and Russia.
Our international locations will guide the jap Partnership, which hyperlinks states inclined to join the european, together with, amongst others Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. although, it aren't handy now within the ecu to reap a call related to monetary aid to build infrastructure linking Poland, Lithuania other Baltic States with the south of Europe, however all those tasks will deliver us many profits, chiefly in economic terms.
How are Lithuania and Poland intensifying bilateral economic and exchange family members at latest?
we've been intensifying them for the closing few years. all of the vital talks are going very well in the Polish and Lithuanian ministries of energy. The gas pipeline connecting our international locations could be equipped this 12 months. next, the Polish-Lithuanian energy electrical energy interconnector and synchronization projects will integrate Baltic States with the european electro energy system. A ferry connection between Szczecin and Klajpeda is being regarded. Poland is developing its investments in Lithuania and Lithuania is increasing its investments in Poland. Polish establishments are importing items manufactured in Lithuania, like equipment and chemical items. Our countries should be worried and linked in building European interconnection infrastructure, such as Rail Baltica and via Carpatia.
For Poland and Lithuania the problem of security and army cooperation is extremely important. we're each individuals of NATO and we cooperate in strengthening the jap flank of NATO. Lithuania also operates the Airspace Surveillance and manage Command equipment, which controls and defends air space over Lithuania and different Baltic states. what's the state of Poland's and Lithuania's cooperation between their defense force industries and armed forces forces?
Lithuania and Poland have the same opinion about the value of security on the eastern flank of NATO. We see the threats posed via the imperial and aggressive policy of Russia, which become evidenced with the aid of the annexation of Crimea and the occupation of some jap ingredients of Ukraine and earlier than that with the occupation of components of Georgia. we've drawn conclusions from this and our amazing cooperation within the defense force box is the influence of our normal attitude against such threats. NATO is aware of this. we now have the NATO Multinational Corps Northeast in Szczecin, the Multinational Division North-East observed in Elbląg and an air drive base in Šiauliai in Lithuania, the place our air force troopers, Polish pilots and pilots from different NATO international locations are serving 24 hours a day, 7 days per week policing our air house and that of alternative Baltic states. As President Andrzej Duda noted during talks with our President Gitanas Naus� �da all over the latter's visit to Poland: "the protection of Lithuania is extraordinarily crucial to us."
Having mentioned this, I wish to add that we don't want to see Europe divided into zones of influence. We need peace in Europe and we desire Russia to behave based on internationally identified requirements and law. We assist the japanese Partnership of ecu with Ukraine, Georgia and other international locations which aspire to join the ecu. The eu should play a robust and important position in international coverage and it's going to attempt to be sure economic, social and human construction for all and sundry.
You were serving as ambassador of Lithuania to Poland on account that January of this 12 months. What would you like to achieve between existing-day Lithuania and Poland?
I are looking to increase a more robust knowing of what up to date life is like in our country. I take into account that some Poles have a large sentiment for Vilnius, however i would like them to commute to the total of our country; to discuss with all other places and to remember that many organizations of americans have influenced our lifestyle – Jews, americans from contemporary-day Belarus, Ukraine, among others. i would like to intensify cooperation between our universities and cultural associations, to arrange grownup-to-adult exchanges on both sides. We bear in mind our ordinary background and we treat it as it is. There are Polish monuments in Vilnius and Lithuanian nobility palaces in Warsaw. all over our historical past we now have had distinct moments and we went via them together and here's also the case now between modern Lithuania and Poland. We cooperate in all elements and we are top-rated chums in Europe.
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