DISINFO: Megalomaniacal Polish politicians realise their plan of “Drang nach Osten” in Belarus
SUMMARY
The post-election unrest in Belarus started to lose momentum and new fuel was required to support it. The celebration of the “Cursed Soldiers Day” and the “Kaziuki” [a local folk arts festival] at the Polish Consulate in Grodno proved to be a sufficient provocation.
It is becoming increasingly clear that the Polish “Drang nach Osten” started from the Orange Revolution in Ukraine is not something impressive, but it still has the potential to develop. The Ukrainian experience convinced Polish politicians that they have great power in Central Europe. Everyone, starting with Kwaśniewski and ending with Komorowski, Kaczyński and Tusk, felt a mission to liberate the East. Their megalomaniacal psyche, tickled by the Orange Revolution, constantly requires new stimuli – as we know, the megalomaniacs are unable to set their limits.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Western attempts to organise a colour revolution in Belarus. Poland is presented as a country with hostile and aggressive plans towards Belarus. This message misrepresents the developments around the Polish minority living in Belarus.
The claims that Poland “realises political provocations” in Belarus or it has some aggressive geopolitical plans towards Belarus and Ukraine are unfounded. The comparison of Polish foreign policy towards Belarus and Ukraine to the Nazi “Drang nach Osten” expansionist plan is a perverse manipulation.
The statement that the celebration of the “Cursed Soldiers Day” and the “Kaziuki” folks art festival in Belarus was a Polish political provocation is an ungrounded claim spread by the official pro-Lukashenka media. In this way, the Belarusian authorities explain the arrest of a number of activists of the Union of Poles in Belarus. Some of these people are accused of “rehabilitation of Nazism” and “incitement to national hatred” – they may be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison.
Poland and the EU have appealed to the Belarusian authorities to stop political repressions against and persecution of the Polish minority in Belarus.
Poland is a neighbour of Belarus and it continues to support the Belarusian people. Poland respects the principles of international law and does not intervene in the domestic affairs of any country.
See other cases connected to the current political dispute between Poland and the authoritarian regime of Lukashenka in Belarus: Polish historical policy disrespects Belarus; The Polish position on Belarus is exceptionally hostile and The Belarusian Union of Poles has not even tried to become officially registered.