Taking over in Poland with fans of Andrei Poczombut, a Belarusian oppositionist of Polish origin, mentioned as part of the exchange of prisoners initiated by the United States, seems at first glance to be a success.
After all, the authorities in Warsaw have been demanding the freedom of a Belarusian activist for years. But it is not a success. Rather, it is an illustration of the failure which was and remains the Polish east policy. Firstly, Poczoputa was active in plans not necessarily drawn in Warsaw to overthrow the Belarusian authorities, or their image weakening. If it wasn't for him and his case, he'd should be invented. He's been in court in criminal matters for years. By the way, the Belarusian authorities were allowed to drag themselves into a trap. For they detained the activist for all, the smallest even offenses. They sentenced him to sentences in clearly political matters. Pochobut's patrons, not necessarily those from Warsaw, assigned him a function to play, and he – wishing not to – played it for years. any of his actions and speeches were clearly calculated to stand trial, and preferably to become a political prisoner. Not only the Minsk authorities created the con-prisoner and the repressive. He besides became a star in the Polish media and internationally (the crowning of his opposition career "celebrity" was awarded the European Parliament award last year).
Secondly, Andrei Pochobut was a political prisoner, but he was not behind bars in connection with matters concerning the Polish minority. The authorities in Warsaw consistently did a bear's favour to Poles surviving in Belarus, making them the face of political opposition activist. In the meantime, Pochobut dealt only occasionally with matters of the Polish minority, preferring open speeches against the Belarusian authorities. Through a media operation showing him as an crucial activist of the Union of Poles in Belarus, there was a mistaken impression that this Polish number supported certain political views, definitely in opposition to the President-in-Office. And this is harmful to her interests (let us imagine that a akin attitude would be shown, for example, by representatives of the German number in our country).
Thirdly – and possibly most importantly – Andrei Poczobut was not released at the request of the Polish authorities conducting any dialog on this subject with the Belarusian authorities. His release, however, had a direct connection with American policy in our region of Europe. It was not accidental for the president of the United States for Belarus, John Coale, to appear just before the exchange of prisoners in Warsaw. And it was he who negotiated freedom for Pochobut, or alternatively the exchange of prisoners in the format 5 by 5. A 79 - year - old American lawyer was most likely besides talking with the Russian side. So we have a situation in which a typical of a abroad power negotiates at the request of the Polish side (such a 1 was to be handed over to Donald Trump by Karol Nawrocki) a question concerning in rule bilateral relations between Warsaw and Minsk. This means that specified relations do not truly exist, and as a consequence we are putting our east policy in abroad hands.
Of course, the happiness and freedom of Andrei Pochobut himself and his household can only be enjoyed. However, let us remember that his release was not due to the efforts of the Polish authorities, but alternatively against them, due to Washington. Poland has thus shown its full inability. no of her appeals made in public over the years and with holy outrage had even the slightest effect. This was due to the fact that we practically broke real political relations and dialog with Minsk.
The case of Andrei Poczopbut indicates a deep political, diplomatic and intelligence independency of Poland. deficiency of independency is not a question of subjecting us to the strength of any external power, but a consequence of the choice made by subsequent governments in Warsaw. Their choice is to break the channels of communication with neighbours: Belarus, but besides Russia. Their choice is to think geographically of the matters closest to us to aid large Brother from across the ocean. Representatives of the Polish government welcoming Andrzej Poczobut to the Polish-Belarusian border should begin by apologizing to the Belarusian oppositionist for his own inability, which cost him respective years of life in the penal colony.
Let us hope that his destiny will be a lesson to those who feel that Warsaw is behind their backs and that they are safe for their political activities. Warsaw is no warrant of anyone's safety. For a simple reason: geopolitically, it does not exist. The case of Pochobut's arrival in Poland (from which it does not come) should so be treated as a disgrace, not a political triumph over the Vistula.
Mateusz Piskorski
Think Poland, No. 19-20 (10-17.05.2016)
