Why Poland advises to the neighbours to look at Brussels?

Any steps on integration on the former Soviet Union space cause, to put it mildly, the guarded reaction in Europe. The most different arguments are adduced to show that the creation of the Eurasian Union can't bring something good to anybody, except, naturally, Russia.

For example, the thesis that other road, except as in the European Union isn't simply present is constantly discussed … Especially actively the East European subject is discussed in Poland. Recently the author of the program “Studio East” on an information channel of the Polish Television Maria Pshelomets shared her thoughts in Moscow:

- The destiny of Eastern Europe matters both for Russia and for its western neighbours. Integration with the European Union or integration within a framework of the Eurasian union? Now the Eurasian union already ceased to be so attractive as earlier, but how much the alternative is tempting?! What future can expect Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus and the countries of the South Caucasus? And what value can have it for neighbours: from the West – the European Union countries: Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, Hungary and from the East – Russia?

While the situation looks as follows. The European Union having the increasing problems loses the interest to the east neighbours, while in the east there was a new structure. Presidents of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan signed the contract on creation of the Eurasian union which has to work till 2015. The Customs union already functions. It seems to me that Russia wants to prove that it remains the independent player on the international scene, capable to create independent regional group.

The CIS is a group of the countries destroyed in years of the communistic power; I mean also the mentality too. These are the countries with the backward economy the political system of which reminds the democracy only in the name, instead of in daily practice. But it is worth noticing that the CIS countries unite many. First of all, it is a wide sales market – not so exacting as in the West. Secondly, the capacious consumer market, and, thirdly, the industry remained after disorder of the USSR often supplements each other. The example of that is the mechanical engineering.

In such situation the creation of the all-economic territory could seem the best decision, but the problem still consists that economic cooperation within the CIS never was equal! The majority of economic projects was supervised by Russia, putting the benefit in the forefront: political or economic. It considers the former vassals as colonies, instead of equal partners.

Certainly, the cooperation with Russia gives some privileges; for example, CIS countries can buy oil and gas at the low prices that is very important. However, Moscow orders to pay expensively for cheap raw materials: economic dependence or even political concessions because the manipulation staple prices is very effective remedy of pressing.

Another thing is that it is impossible to accuse of everything only the Russian authorities. The leaders of certain CIS countries allow to manipulate itself, after all it is impossible to impose the cheap raw materials by force. Russia has an advantage in front of Brussels: it doesn't demand observance of democratic standards. On the contrary, the less democratic regime, the more willingly the Kremlin works with it.

But after all the cheap power raw materials slow down the modernization of outdated power structure that as a result only distance Eastern Europe from European Union standards. One more instrument of pressing – so-called “hot spots”. For example, Nagorno-Karabakh and Transnistria. That it brakes these countries too on the road to Europe.

Alternative of the Eurasian Union for the countries of Eastern Europe is the European Union. The difference is that nobody persuades to become the member of EU. The first that offers Brussels is the policy of the European neighbourhood. There is “East partnership” - it is a program of the help for countries of Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and, for the present, Belarus. Plus the associated agreements for Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia.

Ratification of these agreements is interfaced to ratification of really easy conditions. It is a question not only of economy modernization, but also of observance of European standards in the sphere of the law justice, the state interests, freedoms of mass media, fair and transparent elections. That is, it is a question of civil society – that, unfortunately, doesn't suffice in Eastern Europe.

Rules of the Eurasian Union especially impose the president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko. Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia resolutely declare the will to be integrated with Europe.

Can they do it? Integration with Europe is very long way. How it will terminate – while there is no answer. Situation now is both difficult and ambiguous. However, despite resistance of Europe which goes through difficult times, and Russia, despite the internal problems, finally these states can enter if not into the European Union, then into the European zone of influence.

Poland is interested in it very much! There is such point of view that Poland tries to compete with Russia on the post-Soviet space of Eastern Europe, but it is not so! Simply the integration with the European Union guarantees that Poland will deal with the countries where the power is in hands of the democratic government, the economy is transparent and there is a freedom of speech. In a word, with the predictable countries with which it is safe and favourable to border and trade. To put it briefly, the gray zone is unstable in the geopolitical relation and, so it is unpredictable and dangerous. It is dangerous for itself and for the neighbours.