Tough words of the Polish Minister
Marian Miszalski
The recent visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Russia strengthened the German-Russian strategic partnership. Its essential element was an extension of co-operation concerning energy. The German government did not take into consideration the reservations voiced by Poland and other EU countries as far as the German-Russian pipeline under the Baltic Sea is concerned. First of all, the reservations refer to the political character of that investment. One can have the impression that the German-Russian co-operation is so close that the remaining EU countries face a fait accompli and they can only accept these facts within the framework of 'co-deciding', under the conditions of their limited - by their access to the European Union - sovereignty. Whereas Germany remains sovereign and can ignore the limitation of its EU membership. And it seems that Poland's Defence Minister Radek Sikorski had that in mind when he said in Brussels that 'Polish people associate such a procedure of making political decisions with the Locarno tradition and the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact'. It is interesting: he was rebuked by both the German media, the 'post the round table' left wing in Poland (that was pro-Russian before 1989) and the spokesman of the European Commission. It is worth recalling that earlier the Czech 'Lidowe Nowiny' called the decision to build a pipeline, which would omit Central Europe, a new Munich, and the German press, using the arguments that were characteristic of 'Gazeta Wyborcza', defined that as come stupefaction, xenophobia, etc. However, the press defined the statement of Defence Minister Sikorski as only 'wrong language of the Polish minister'. Well, we know that 'the Poles are not geese, have a tongue of their own', including a political one. And there are no reasons that we should use another language or an incomprehensible, politically correct jargon, platitude or verbosity to speak about our national interests, their threats or other dangerous matters.
Minister Sikorski's words reflect common fears in Poland, which are connected with the German-Russian strategic partnership, which is slowly becoming 'an organising factor' in Europe, above Europe's structures. From the perspective of our experiences of the partitions, earlier than the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, which were also the effect and fruit of the strategic co-operation between Prussia and Russia, we cannot speak about these matters using a different language.
It happened so that the words of Minister Sikorski in Brussels were spoken on the eve of the celebration of the 3rd May Constitution, the constitution that was to stop the development of the political decay of the Polish Kingdom. The Constitution, which was to repair and strengthen the Polish state, had its vehement opponents who were bribed (which was called 'jurgielt') by the neighbouring monarchies, mainly Prussia and Russia. Was not Rejtan regarded as insane? From discredited insults and slander it is one step to an attempt to put a gag over the mouth of that part of the nation and its elite which want to use Polish to speak about Polish problems, Polish reason of state, Polish politics (which is to realise Polish national interests), taking into account our national historical experiences and tradition. In this context we can also ask whether the long, exceptional attack on Radio Maryja, launched under more and more absurd pretexts, is not an attempt to impose on Poles some 'different language', the language of political correctness, the language that the Polish media, controlled by foreign capital that operates on the Polish market have made perfect. After all, it is known, especially known to specialists in manipulating public opinion and specialists in socio-technique, that 'building a new man', devoid of tradition and memory, begins with substituting words and with imposing 'a new language'. It is not far from such training to an enslaved mind.
Therefore, it was good that Poland's Defence Minister used the words, which were rooted in the Polish culture and political traditions, in Brussels, the heart of the European Union that had to face Germany's established facts. Considering Europe's past and its experiences it would be even better if Brussels understood and listened to that Polish language.
"Niedziela" 20/2006