Polish minority abroad and minorities in Poland

Ironside 50 | 12488

13 Jun 2009 / #61

In EU is something called "minority rights" and Poland is paying for Lithuanian schools in Poland!

And the Poles don't have the right to contest that in Lithuania's national courts? They have NO redress?

Gee ! Seanus !
How good is your Polish????

Seanus 15 | 19666

13 Jun 2009 / #62

I was kidding on the first point, Ironside.

How good is my Polish? Well, I could understand most newspapers 2 years ago if that gives you any idea.

Ironside 50 | 12488

13 Jun 2009 / #63

How good is my Polish? Well, I could understand most newspapers 2 years ago if that gives you any idea.

Try Kurier Wileński on the Internet - you can find some issues there if you are really interested.

I was kidding on the first point, Ironside.

Sorry, I don't like fiddling about with : )))) and so on ....sometimes I overlook those things)))))

Seanus 15 | 19666

13 Jun 2009 / #64

Thanks for the link, Ironside. I know that the Lithuanians are rather, um, 'frosty' when it comes to most Poles. It has been strong recently. I'm going there in August. I'm gonna try out an idea. Speak in Polish, see the reaction, then speak in English. I got some bad looks in Belgrade for speaking English but I was fine with Polish.

No worries :)

Ironside 50 | 12488

13 Jun 2009 / #65

No, prob!
Lithuanians I find really nationalistic, 1930s like .....
Enjoy your trip))))
And let as know results of your experiment!

Seanus 15 | 19666

13 Jun 2009 / #66

Sure thing! They have a reputation for being cold. However, I'll decide when I go. Ask SeanBM here, he goes quite often.

lesser 4 | 1311

14 Jun 2009 / #67

On the first point, how do you know that they don't, lesser? If it was so 'lawless',
as you put it, there would be much more international condemnation.

This is one of the mayor issues discussed endlessly in Polish-Lithuanian Parliamentary Commission. While western politicians also have very selective sensitivity. If Poles would be replace by homosexuals then I'm sure this case would be better known outside Lithuania.

Anyway, I don't advocate third states sticking its noses in Lithuanian affairs. It apply to Poland as well. I just point out obvious injustice as a independent political observer.

Property is so hard to adjudicate, lesser. Why do you think that an international property court hasn't heard any cases related to the property rights of Jews? It would open Pandora's Box (a can of worms), that's why. International relations would suffer.

Property rights, it is sacred thing. Jews who can prove their rights should be given back property or be compensated. I don't belong to enthusiasts of international courts, this is just another institution controlled by those who push for centralised pan-European state. If such courts refuse to take cases of property rights then this is obvious that they are not independent, they are simply politically controlled. This is the best argument to discredit this idea.

Well, petition the Lithuanian government then, lesser.

I'm not Lithuanian citizen, this is not my problem.

I agree on your last point which is why we need to use our democratic rights to the max and not have everything diluted.

LOL, Seanus you always must write in "democratic" elsewhere. I have write that this is the only respect deserving attitude in states which are not totalitarian. So, this is wider 'advice'.

Well, if it's a Polish school there, why isn't Poland providing some funding? You could say the same about Polish schools in Poland ;) ;)

Well, generally I oppose public education. However if anything then this is up to Polish state to serve Polish citizens. Lithuanian Poles don't belong to this group, while Polish Lithuanians do, they pay taxes here.

Seanus 15 | 19666

14 Jun 2009 / #68

Sticking their noses in, ever heard of Costa Vs ENEL, lesser?

Lesser, again I refer you to reality. You may read the theory that declinature is to be practised whereby judges step down. Judges are not that independent in quite a few cases. Do you think the Hague 'kangaroo' courts aren't politically controlled? Somebody has to bring about redress.

lesser 4 | 1311

14 Jun 2009 / #69

Lesser, again I refer you to reality

I know reality and demand changes. There is a lot to improve here and this is possible if public pressure will be big enough. If you disagree, then I ask why do you think that democracy is needed?

Seanus 15 | 19666

14 Jun 2009 / #70

I agree with you, public pressure is needed. They are an EU state and should play by those rules which are fair enough.

OP pawian 221 | 26015

25 Jun 2009 / #71

Poles are more tolerant when it comes to views on Polish Lithuanian history.
Lithuanians still have to learn this tolerance. Give them some time.

Podlasie gets Polish and Lithuanian signs
thenews.pl
23.06.2009
Signs with names of localities in the Punsk area of the Podlasie region, north east Poland, will now be in both the Polish and Lithuanian languages.

By the end of June, some thirty villages will have their road signs changed to comply with a local council decision, says Jan Wojczulis, deputy mayor of Punsk.

"We held consultations in 33 villages," he told Polish Radio. "There will be Polish and Lithuanian names in 30 of them, as the remaining 3 have an almost entirely Polish community."

The project has been financed by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration.
The Podlasie province is one of the most diverse, culturally, of all of Poland`s regions, being inhabited by many different minorities over the years.

The Podlasie province used to be in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, though since the union with Poland in 1569 and the formation with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth the province was transferred to the Polish Crown, only to be extinguished in 1795 during partition.

In the national census of 2002 there were 5.097 Lithuanians registered in the Podlasie province.