Polish journalist Maciej Wisniewski — about how anti-Russian solution of the Polish politicians hit the citizens of Poland
I have a suspicion bordering on certainty that the recent decision of the Polish authorities, virtually eliminates the small border traffic with Russia, was due to nothing other than the desire to demonstrate to Moscow that Poland was able to hurt her whenever I want. As a result, suffer first of all, the Polish economy and ordinary poles, the ordinary people who start to protest.
It seemed that as a result of these protests, the authorities will abandon their short-sighted and erroneous decisions. But there it was!
Let us recall the history of these short-sighted diplomatic moves.
From the beginning the temporary suspension of small border traffic began with seemingly legitimate reasons: in Warsaw took place the NATO summit, which was attended by the great of this world, headed by the President of the United States. A week after this began the celebration of world youth day — religious events, including meetings of young Catholics with Pope Francis in Krakow.
It is absolutely clear that the authorities and services responsible for safety of these two events, he had the right to limit, to the extent possible, crossings by undesirable foreigners.
As a result, both events have passed without incident, the participants returned home, and small border traffic remained on the castle.
No, I put it inaccurately, small border traffic was resumed — but only between Poland and Ukraine and between Poland and Russia — no. Why? The Ministry of internal Affairs has officially stated that the reason for the closure of the border between Poland and Russia are security concerns. Said it not who other, as the Minister of internal Affairs Mariusz Blashak.
This is a serious argument — security. It is interesting that mean Mr. Minister? Maybe he fears an influx of large groups of Muslim terrorists from the Russian side? This is unlikely — the Russian service effectively fight Islamic extremism. Maybe Mariusz Blashak fears the attacks of the Russian subversive groups? So he believes that the saboteurs crossing the border, waving the passports? It would be very funny if it were not so sad. Perversely, I’m here trying to be funny, and the Minister Blashak takes it quite seriously. “Krolevetsky [Kaliningrad] region militarized! Remember the words of Lech Kaczynski: “Today Georgia, then Ukraine and Baltic countries. Who knows, with time, may be Poland!” — said the Minister Blashak “Radio gdańsk”. When the Minister of secondary European States publicly says things that discredit it, I feel ashamed.
It seems that the theory of the Minister must cause the gratitude of the poles, especially in the border regions, as it cares about their safety.
But it turns out the exact opposite.
The poles began to consider losses. To be considered, and then complain. Complained to store owners, hotels and currency exchange offices. Believed the losses the owners of restaurants and roadside cafes. Supermarkets note that the number of customers has decreased repeatedly, and the revenues are much lower. People began to protest, contact the local authorities to have the situation corrected.
Protested and appealed to the government on the resumption of the small border traffic Voivod of Olsztyn. He was joined by the mayors of 54 cities in the border zone. Nothing helped — the Polish government is adamant. Argues that “security concerns” are most important. “Give examples!” — cried the frontier people! “Alas,’ replied the Minister, is confidential information”. Meanwhile, such image it is possible to justify anything.
Recently I was in bartoszycach. I go there regularly for many years. This is a border town near the crossing Bezeled on the border with Kaliningrad. In Bartoszyce always “lived with a border.” At the same time we must remember that this warmińsko-Mazurskie — there is the highest unemployment rate. Border gave them bread in the literal sense of the word. The residents kept themselves and their families at the expense of the business legal and not quite. When the border was open, worked the mechanism of the market trading, there was a demand for workers in legal business services. This, in my opinion, very well that people do not violate the law. And now?
“And now, — says my friend — back to smuggling. I was a waitress in the restaurant at the hotel. Earned enough and was not afraid of the police and border service. And when Blashak closed the border, the hotel owner fired most of the staff. And that’s all. It is necessary to return to the “status of an ant” ( a small smuggler plying between boundaries and carrying on products, like ant).
It seems that the Polish authorities do not understand that this creates a chain of interrelated phenomena. From the very beginning to restrict the activities the serious business: owners of restaurants, hotels, shops. Those, in turn, fired people. And people can’t find work and are registered officially as unemployed, and when does eligibility for benefits, contact the social services in order not to die of hunger.
But this is also public money. Meager benefits, and people have to earn money by smuggling. If you are caught you pay the fines. If they have no money, “the merciful” the state is always ready to replace the penalty of arrest. But the prisoner, too, on the content state.
And the problem is not only material. People do not pay taxes, do not respect the law. I’m not talking about the public consequences: the weakening of family ties, difficulties in the upbringing of children who grow up prematurely, as they have to support a family. Perhaps our politicians do not accept arguments that the contacts between the ordinary people have a positive effect on the reduction of tension between States, if any, and contribute to a better understanding. But maybe my Minister is not interested in the fact that between our countries was all right?
