Radosław Sikorski in an interview published on 16 September by the European fact portal did not reject Roman Dmowski's compilation of UPA. erstwhile the leader attributed fascist ideology to the Polish statesman, the head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs called him “controversial figure”. This weakens the Polish position in the dispute over memory and work for crimes.
Conversation in which there was no Polish response
The interview was conducted in Kiev on the occasion of the gathering of the Yalta European Strategy, and the European fact Portal published it on September 16. The conversation came down to historical politics and the cult of CNS-UPA in Ukraine. Sikorski stated that UPA had fascist ideology and warned against honouring those charged with war crimes.
At that time the talker replied that if the UPA was so assessed, a akin charge should be made to Dmowski, who is inactive commemorated in Poland. As shown by a full evidence of the conversation published by the European Truth, Polish minister replied that Dmowski is besides a controversial figure. He did not straight confirm that the father of Polish independency was a fascist. However, he did not reject the false message and did not indicate the fundamental difference between the politician and diplomat and the formation liable for mass crimes against the Polish civilian population.
Dmowski and UPA do not belong to the same category
Roman Dmowski was the leader of the national camp, a political author and 1 of the main representatives of the Polish case at a peace conference after planet War I. Together with Ignacy Jan Paderewski, he signed the Treaty of Versailles on behalf of the reborn Republic. His views can be explored, criticized and placed in the realities of the era. However, you must not blur the facts through convenient, ahistorical labels.
A reader who wants to know the origin of his reasoning about the nation can scope into the text "Our patriotism" by Roman Dmowski. It's a fairer way than putting on a contemporary description in a abroad interview. Dmowski conducted political and diplomatic activities, while members of the CNS-UPA committed genocide cleansing in Poles in Volyn and east Małopolska. The equalization of these orders blurs the work of the perpetrators.
Minister should defender the Polish state's ration
The head of diplomacy does not appear abroad as a private commentator. He represents you, his memory and business. That is why Sikorski's answer was insufficient. He could have made it clear that the dispute over Dmowski's views did not give emergence to a single order of UPA. Instead, he left the Ukrainian interviewer comfortable space for false symmetry.
The weakness of this reaction offends even more that a fewer days earlier the minister himself said in Kiev that Ukraine should not carry UPA on pedestal. Poland can support Ukraine in defence of Russian aggression and at the same time require the fact about crimes in Poles. These 2 duties are not excluded. Tough historical policy is not hostile to the Ukrainian people. He's an simple loyalty to his own victims.
Criticism from the Presidential Palace and Confederation
Marcin Przycz, head of the Office of global Policy of the president of the Republic of Poland, assessed the deficiency of firm reaction of the minister very critically. He reminded that Dmowski belonged to the fathers of independence, and Polish diplomacy is to defend the good name of the state. Krzysztof Bosak, on the another hand, indicated that Sikorski accepted false symmetry alternatively of cutting it.
The essence of the substance is not the prohibition of discussing Dmowski. National memory doesn't request censorship or monumental unreflectiveness. He needs a measure, facts, and defence of proportion. A country that allows others to compose past gradually loses its ability to find its own interests.
For Poles there is simply a circumstantial stake. If the head of the Ministry of abroad Affairs does not reject the comparison of the co-founder of independent Poland with the formation liable for mass murder, it weakens our arguments in discussions about exhumations, commemoration of victims and historical responsibility. relationship between countries requires truth. Polish diplomacy must be able to talk this fact calmly, clearly and without complexes.
