Lech Walesa: I don’t need the order from this Lithuania!

It is something wrong in the Danish kingdom … In terms of very civilized and advanced states of the Baltic States which, as they declare about themselves, are the lights of democracy on border with ignorant barbarians. They will think up to spend that parade of not finished fascists, celebrate Hitler's birthday with the pomp or something new and bad in relation to “aliens”. They will get away with it – after all the fighters for democracy!

But there was an incident –as it is possible to say, a shame on all civilized world; and the trouble has come wherever it was waited … Just think: the Nobel prize- winner of the world, one of the most known legal experts in the world, the founder of legendary trade union “Solidarity” and the former president of Poland Lech Walesa has refused the higher award of Lithuania!

He didn’t want to accept the Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great which the Lithuanian authorities wanted to award Lech Walesa “taking into account his merits in an establishment and development of the Lithuanian-Polish relations and also long-term support of restoration of independence of Lithuania”. The Order of Vytautas the Great is the higher state award of Lithuania founded in 1930 for rewarding both the Lithuanian and the foreign citizens for special merits before the state.

Why the person, whom the whole world knows and respects, has refused an award, given to him by the next state? Perhaps, Lech Walesa refuses to receive the foreign awards in principle? But no, let's glance in his “employment sheet” - we will find much there: the Order of Fransisko Miranda of 1 class, Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (Great Britain), Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour (France), Grand Cross of the Order for merits before the Italian Republic (Italy), the Order of the Seraphim (Sweden), the Order of the Elephant (Denmark), the Grand Cross of the Order of the White rose (Finland), the Grand Cross of the Order of Merits (Hungary), the Grand Chain of the Order the Infant Don Enrique (Portugal), the Grand Cross of the Order of sacred Olaf (Norway), Gran Gruz Placa de Oro de la Orden Heraldica de Cristobal Colon (Dominican republic), the Grand Cross of the Order of the Netherlands lion (Netherlands), the Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I (Belgium), the Order of Pie IX (Vatican), the Order of Merits (Chile), the Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross (Brazil), the Grand Cross of the Order of Santiago and the Sword (Portugal), the medal of Independence (Turkey), the Republic of Uruguay medal … is that so impress?!

May be Walesa refuses only the awards of the next states because of any ideas? It is not so and the confirmation of that is the Order of the White lion (Czech Republic), special award of the Order “For merits before Federal Republic of Germany”, the Order of Yaroslav the Wise (Ukraine) and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of the Mary earth (Estonia).

And the higher award of Lithuania won't be in this list! All the same why?! Lech Walesa told about it. He has sent the letter to the embassy of Lithuania in Poland in which has informed that can't accept the award while the pressure in Lithuania has became stronger on the living Poles. Walesa ascertains, “I am deeply anxious by a present situation. I’m convinced that cooperation within the limits of EU should strengthen, instead of limit the rights of the Polish minority”.

But what has happened? Who has suddenly decided to limit the rights of the Poles from time immemorial living on this earth? By the way, according to census of 2001 year, they are less little than seven percent from all population of Lithuania. The matter is that the democratic Lithuania has decided to accept the superdemocratic law of education and it has already taken effect since July of this year. Its maintenance has caused shock in the Polish population of the country. After all the teaching of more quantities of subjects on state language instead of the Polish language become stronger and since 2013 year the examination in the Lithuanian language at the Lithuanian schools and schools of national minorities becomes identical …

Here is how the deputies of European Parliament, namely 26 Poles and Hungarians have responded about this document, who has written the letter to the European Union:

“The Lithuanian Republic is the multinational state. The Polish minority of the local origin is the majority of inhabitants and lives for 700 years in these territories. 79 % of the Poles live in Salcininskai region, 61 % - in Vilnius region and 18,7 % - in Vilnius. The position of the Polish minority in this country has strongly worsened since the introduction of Lithuania into EU, i.e. since 2004…

The discrimination actions of the power influence the growing quantity of acts with displays of racism, xenophobia and the anti-Semitism, the example of which was the procession on March 11, 2011 with slogans “Lithuania for the Lithuanians”, “For native Lithuania, race and the nation”…

There can't be the place for discrimination of any nationality in Europe of XXI century and all the more the national minority of the local origin. EU should resolutely react to infringements of the allied right, which the Lithuanian Republic allows in order to reject pressure of prosecution on a nationality”.

This open letter is addressed to the president of the European Union Herman Van Rompuy, the head of the European Commission José Manuel Barroso and the prime minister of Hungary presiding at present in EU Victor Orban. The letter contains the request to take measures for protection of the rights of the Poles of Lithuania, to stop discrimination of this minority and that country has started to observe the legal acts regulating this region.

But the president of Lithuania Dalia Gribauskaite is convinced that her country creates one of the best conditions in the world of training of national minorities on native language! Here is the citation from the speech of the president during visiting of one of elementary schools:

“I can only repeat once again that Lithuania distinguishes itself by one of the best education systems for national minorities. I would like to wish both to other countries and other national minorities that they have such conditions as in Lithuania”. As they say, the legend is fresh but is trusted hardly …

After all the Poles, living in Lithuania, don't agree with the president categorically. For this reason the strike has been declared and the part of the pupils of the Polish schools of the country has gone not to lessons on September, 2 but on the meeting against the new Law of education organized by the Electoral action of the Poles of Lithuania. There were such slogans: “We are for freedom to study on native language”, “No to bulldozer’s policy”, “Europe, protect our rights”, “President, we hope for your help”.

The union of the Poles of Lithuania has declared that the action has found the response, “The strike announcement at the Polish schools has loudly sounded not only in our country but also in Poland and structures of the European Union. Having estimated this fact and the further succession of events, we address to strike committee, to the pupils of the Polish schools and their parents with the request to interrupt the strike temporarily since September, 5th”.

At the same time, the Union of the Poles of Lithuania has considered necessary to declare, “In a situation if the authorities of Lithuania obviously ignore the requirements of the Polish community of Lithuania, the strike can be renewed”.

The children voices didn't sound in 70 Polish schools of 80 schools of the Vilnius region on the second of September. The fair person knows how to act in such situation! For this reason Lech Walesa has refused the Lithuanian award. And he never hid the opinion and never adapt to somebody. It is enough to remember what furor created his phrase, “There is no need to be afraid of Russia in the XXI century”.

Now all see of that it is necessary to be afraid in our democratic world …