Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski is finishing his visit to Belarus on Wednesday. Belsat TV journalists have asked residents of Minsk how they feel about our country’s western neighbour.
“Russians, Poles and maybe, Lithuanians are our closest friends. I never thought that such a disaster would happen in Ukraine – it’s scary,” a passer-by said.
“Poland is well on its way if compared to Belarus. I wish we also made such progress.”
“Poland is our ally. It gives a good example to us.”
“It is our brotherly state and ally, I believe. All of us are Slavic people!”
“In Poland people were brave enough to go through a shocking therapy in economy and they met with success. Unfortunately, a similar process was hampered in Belarus as our people were uptight about such measures. As a result, nothing has changed.”
“Poland is part of Eastern Europe, it is our neighbour, we share borders with Poland, we should devise some policy towards it. Poles are kind.”
“They are our closest neigbours. I am fond of their culture, history, I like Cracow which is the cultural capital of Poland, I am always pleased to visit it.”
“I think that Poland’s economic model is a bit more effective than that of Belarus. Poland is one jump ahead of us, there’s still something to strive for. Poland’s case can be set as a pattern.”
Today Witold Waszczykowski is to meet with Belarusian president Alyaksandr Lukashenka, talk with Poles living in Belarus’ Hrodna and visit the town of Vaukavysk where his mother was born.
On Tuesday the Polish Foreign Minister laid flowers on the graves of the killed by Stalin’s executioners, visited a Polish visa centre in Minsk and met with his Belarusian counterpart Uladzimir Makey.
