Will Belarus leader be invited to celebrate Gruenwald Battle anniversary in Poland?
Debates are in full swing in neighboring Poland over whether to invite Alexander Lukashenka to attend celebrations marking 600 years since the victory near Gruenwald. In Belarus, opinions differ as well. The Warsaw-based newspaper Metro reports that the proposal to invite the Belarusian leader to the Poland emerged from the office the Polish president. The organizers decided to invite the heads of all the nations whose ancestors took part in the battle with the knights of the Teuton Order on behalf of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and Polish Kingdom. For example, Lithuanian president Dalia Grybauskaite has already received such an invitation.
The presidents of Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Sloavakia and Latvia are also expected to join the event. But the personality of the Belarusian leader spurred up hot debates. On the one hand, there is a desire to demonstrate a cultural and historic unity of all the peoples that defended at Gruenwald. On the other hand, there is a steady image of Lukashenka as "an undemocratic and iron-hand leader" in the West.
One of Poland's concerns is that Belarus continues putting pressure on Belarusian citizens of the Polish origin. Andrei Pachobut, an activist with the Union of Poles in Belarus, is convinced that the policy of isolation will not be very productive. However, concessions to official Minsk should not be made all the time withiout relevant steps towards, either.
Andrei Pachobut: “The same problem can be resolved in various ways and with the help of various instruments. If there is a certain movement, why would Lukashenka not be invited, including Gruenwald, Warsaw, etc? But when there are invitations, but there is no movement, it will definitely be harmful and amoral”.
What should be done if there are no movements? Andrei Pachobut shrugs his shoullders. He reckons there is no personality in Belarus that could decently represent all the Belarusians -- both the supporters of the current regime and the opponents.
Andrei Pachobut: “The state is always represented by the government. But, Belarus is not an ordinary state in this sense, because eletions in Belarus have not been recognized by the West since 1996. They were not recognized by a certain part of the society, either. Even those who support Lukashenka believe that elections are rigged in Belarus. Can Alexander Lukashehka represent Belarus? In my view, he can't. Today's Belarus is divided into two camps: those who support the government and those who support the opposition… When Vasil Bykov was alive, nearly everyone respected him. But today we don't have Bykov who could unite us”.
But, Fiodar Mikheeu, the leader of a Minsk-based historic club, who always take part in the reconstruction of the Gruenwald Battle, reckons there is no place for disagreements. Just like 600 years ago, representatives of all the victor-nations, should get together on the Gruenwald field again.
Fiodar Mikheeu: “If the presidents of all the countries that took part in the events of those times get together, I think our president should also be there”.
Anyway, regardless of whether Alexander Lukashenka gets an invitation or not, Belarusian knights will celebrate the anniversary on the field near Greunwald.
The presidents of Ukraine, the Czech Republic, Sloavakia and Latvia are also expected to join the event. But the personality of the Belarusian leader spurred up hot debates. On the one hand, there is a desire to demonstrate a cultural and historic unity of all the peoples that defended at Gruenwald. On the other hand, there is a steady image of Lukashenka as "an undemocratic and iron-hand leader" in the West.
One of Poland's concerns is that Belarus continues putting pressure on Belarusian citizens of the Polish origin. Andrei Pachobut, an activist with the Union of Poles in Belarus, is convinced that the policy of isolation will not be very productive. However, concessions to official Minsk should not be made all the time withiout relevant steps towards, either.
Andrei Pachobut: “The same problem can be resolved in various ways and with the help of various instruments. If there is a certain movement, why would Lukashenka not be invited, including Gruenwald, Warsaw, etc? But when there are invitations, but there is no movement, it will definitely be harmful and amoral”.
What should be done if there are no movements? Andrei Pachobut shrugs his shoullders. He reckons there is no personality in Belarus that could decently represent all the Belarusians -- both the supporters of the current regime and the opponents.
Andrei Pachobut: “The state is always represented by the government. But, Belarus is not an ordinary state in this sense, because eletions in Belarus have not been recognized by the West since 1996. They were not recognized by a certain part of the society, either. Even those who support Lukashenka believe that elections are rigged in Belarus. Can Alexander Lukashehka represent Belarus? In my view, he can't. Today's Belarus is divided into two camps: those who support the government and those who support the opposition… When Vasil Bykov was alive, nearly everyone respected him. But today we don't have Bykov who could unite us”.
But, Fiodar Mikheeu, the leader of a Minsk-based historic club, who always take part in the reconstruction of the Gruenwald Battle, reckons there is no place for disagreements. Just like 600 years ago, representatives of all the victor-nations, should get together on the Gruenwald field again.
Fiodar Mikheeu: “If the presidents of all the countries that took part in the events of those times get together, I think our president should also be there”.
Anyway, regardless of whether Alexander Lukashenka gets an invitation or not, Belarusian knights will celebrate the anniversary on the field near Greunwald.
