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Chicago. Ambassador of Lithuania to the U.S. Žygimantas Pavilionis assured that Lithuania supported the wish of Poland, the country’s friend and ally, to join visa-free regime with the U.S. This issue was most broadly discussed on Tuesday, 17 May, at the Consulate General of Lithuania (211 East Ontario Street, 15th Floor) during the meeting with President of the Polish American Congress (PAC) Francis Spula (Franciszek Spula). The aforementioned meeting was also attended by Prof. Marek Rudnicki from Amber Coalition (Bursztynowa Koalicja). Lithuania’s Consul General Skaistė Aniulienė very kindly received President Spula and Prof. Rudnicki.

On 5 April this year in Washington, D.C., the delegation of the Polish American Congress met with Ambassador of Lithuania to the U.S. Žygimantas Pavilionis.

Photo: From left to right: Secretary of the PAC Timothy Kuzma, Vice President (PAC) Dr. Susanne Lotarski, President (PAC) Francis Spula, Ambassador of Lithuania to the U.S. Žygimantas Pavilionis, Director of the Washington, D.C., Office (PAC) Barbara Andersen, Vice President for Polish Affairs (PAC) Bożena Kamiński, Vice-President for American Affairs (PAC) Anthony Bajdek, Counsellor of the Embassy of Lithuania Rolandas Kačinskas. Photo: PAC

Ambassador Pavilionis told the Polish Daily News (Dziennik Związkowy) that Lithuanian - American organizations led by the Lithuanian American Community (the Lithuanian equivalent of PAC) will address their community in the entire United States, requesting to sign the petition and write letters to the U.S. legislators aiming to persuade them to vote for the law on visa-free regime between the U.S. and Poland (Visa Waiver Program, VWP).

“We, Lithuanians, want to help Poland join the U.S. Visa Waiver Program. Lithuania has already joined it. I find it hard to understand the reasons why the U.S. Government would not allow the Polish people to travel to the U.S. without a visa. I know Poland very well. America has no better friends in Europe than Lithuanians and the Poles. Together we have always strived for better transatlantic relations in Europe.”

Allow us to remind you that there is a petition for the legislators on the PAC website http://pac1944.org/ that is to be signed in support of Poland’s aim to join the visa-free regime. The above-mentioned website also provides samples of letters to the legislatures (with a request to vote for this law). (The readers can also find this information in today’s newspaper, p.3).

Ambassador Pavilionis said that official letters will be sent to the U.S. Congress legislators at his own initiative in support of Poland’s joining the visa-free regime. “Moreover, next week in Washington, D.C., I will receive famous and respectable people from Lithuania: our first President Vytautas Landsbergis and Lithuania’s current Foreign Vice-Minister Egidijus Meilūnas (former Lithuanian Ambassador in Warsaw). They are coming to meet with Members of the U.S. Congress and Senate, and with the U.S. Senator of the Lithuanian descent Richard Durbin (a Democrat from Illinois – editor’s remark) and we will together discuss Poland’s joining the visa-free regime.”

According to Lithuanian Ambassador, this question should be raised also on 27-28 May, during the visit of President Barack Obama to Poland, where he will take part in the Meeting of Presidents of Central and Eastern European States.

“I think that it’s not just Poland’s business, it is our mutual business. In this country we have to be treated the same way, and if Poland is not treated equally, it means that something is wrong. Like Kościuszko would say, we have to fight “for your freedom and ours”. So your business is our business.”

Ambassador spoke with great respect about the merits of Poland to the U.S., democracy and peace in the old times and now, and the important role of Pope John Paul II and Solidarity (Solidarność).

Pavilionis recalled that there were historical, geographical, cultural and political links between Lithuania and Poland. Poland helped Lithuania to regain its Independence and seek membership in NATO. Now, Lithuania supports Poland’s aim to join the Visa Waiver Program. The Ambassador expressed his belief that Poland was the best friend of Lithuania. Therefore, both countries must cooperate even closer for their own benefit.

The Ambassador said: “I know it from my own experience - and I have been in the diplomatic service for 18 years now – we have no better friend than Poland in this world.”

President of the PAC Francis Spula (also President of the Polish National Alliance) found the meeting very useful: “We appreciate very much the support of the Lithuanian-American Community to Poland’s aim of joining the visa-free regime with the U.S. It is very important to us.” The President noted that about one million of people of the Lithuanian descent lived in the U.S.

Besides, Ambassador Pavilionis and President of the PAC Francis Spula discussed the complicated issues related to the Polish minority in Lithuania and the Lithuanian minority in Poland, and education issues.

Lithuanian Ambassador said: “Mr Spula and I have the same opinion that both countries should be patient and meet more often to exchange relevant information.”

The Ambassador also gave some examples related to education in Lithuania: “We have never even thought of closing down Polish schools. We just wanted to raise the level of the Lithuanian language skills there, because our goal is the integration of Poles (in the Lithuanian society – editor’s remark). In fact, we are copying the Polish legal framework with respect to local Lithuanians. At Polish - Lithuanian schools in Poland, 60 per cent of lessons are taught in Polish and 40 per cent in a minority language. In Lithuania, 95 per cent of various subjects are taught in Polish as the language of instruction. Lithuania is the only country in the world, where the Polish community has more than 100 schools, the pupils of which are instructed in Polish. There are maybe two or three such schools in Belarus, and the same is true for Latvia. In Germany, there are two million citizens of Polish descent, but no Polish schools. Out of 170 Polish schools abroad (not in Poland), over 100 Polish schools are in Lithuania. And only in Lithuania there is such a higher education institution as the University of Białystok (Uniwersytet Białostocki). Lithuania is the only friendly country where the Polish minority can receive education in Polish as the language of instruction from kindergarten to university.”

The Ambassador said: “we have given citizenship to all minority groups - Russians, Poles, Jews, Belarusians - because we want them to feel good in our country. The problems that ethnic minorities face will always be important to us and we will always cooperate bilaterally in handling these issues.”

Ambassador Pavilionis and President Spula also discussed strategic energy and security issues. The Ambassador believes that Lithuanians and the Poles should learn also from their history. “When we fight with each other, we lose and someone else wins. We had a common state for 500 years. It was the largest state in Europe and, according to Pope John Paul II, marked the beginning of the process that would lead to the creation of the European Community. We adopted the first constitution in Europe. We were the outpost of Europe’s stability. And we need to continue our fighting for what we want. We have to develop a common strategy and act as a single, harmonious team in Europe and the U.S., and then we can win.”

President of the PAC Spula told the daily that this was his second meeting with Ambassador Pavilionis. The first meeting was held at the ambassador’s office last month. President of both the Polish American Congress and of the Polish National Alliance revealed that the next meeting is planned in Chicago. It will be attended by Polish leaders.

By Alicja Otap

Translation