Andrei Sannikov: «Geremek knew that it’s unacceptable to flirt with Lukashenka’s regime”

The news about the tragic death of Bronisław Geremek has made us recall Polish Trade Union Solidarność (Solidarity), one of the founders of which he was.

Professor Geremek was the head of the group of Lech Wałęsa’s advisers. Bronisław Geremek was and remains one of the most famous Polish who had done a lot to return Poland to Europe. He had won well-deserved authority in the world. He was known in Belarus, he had many acquaintances here. One of them is a former deputy Foreign Minister (1995-1996), one of the leaders of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, an international coordinator of the Charter’97 Andrei Sannikov, who has agreed to answer questions of a Polish magazine of independent political analysts «Коntrateksty».

- When and how your first meeting with Professor Geremek took place?

- If I am not mistaken, we met in 1997 at a conference in Natollin. At that conference Professor Geremek, a Sejm deputy then, said the words which are still of current interest: “To help democracy in Belarus is a moral duty of Poland”. Two years ago in Brussels I reminded Bronisław Geremek, a deputy of the European parliament, about his words, and he repeated them in his speech, addressing the united Europe and the whole democratic world.

The death of the freedom fighter Bronisław Geremek is an irreparable loss for Poles, Belarusians, Europeans, all people of the world, who hold dear freedom and democracy ideals. He was a prominent politician and an outstanding person. A brilliant speaker and a leader of intellectual European thought, he was not leaving anybody unmoved. In fact, his insightful and emotional speeches he spoke about one thing – freedom.

- When you left the position of the deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus protesting against Lukashenka’s policy, the Polish Foreign Ministry was headed by Bronisław Geremek soon. He was an adamant critic of the ruling regime in Belarus. How his coming to the ministry influenced the Belarusian-Polish relations?

- It has influenced greatly. Poland became the chairman of the OSCE during his period at that position, the OSCE mission in Minsk opened then, despite Lukashenka’s resistance. He sincerely tried to use all possibilities to change the situation in Belarus, and in his contacts with the Belarusian regime as well. It was Geremek who became an initiator of seeking a compromise in Poland in the end of the 1980-ies. His ideas allowed Poland to become a locomotive of changes in the whole Eastern Europe, to avoid a bloody conflict in the Polish society and bring Poland to the united Europe.

When he had to deal with the Belarusian authorities, Geremek always insisted on meetings with opposition with an emphasized manner. It was like this during opening of the OSCE mission in Minsk in 1998, or for instance after his meeting with Foreign Minister of Belarus in Geneva, when he received me in his office in Poland’s representation. By the way, it is an interesting detail: soon after the beginning of our meeting a call from President Kwasniewski. I left the office and for rather a long time was waiting the president and the minister to finish their talk. When Geremek invited me to enter, he looked very worried land explained his state. Evgeniy Primkov, a Prime Minister of Russia then, turned his plane over the Atlantic Ocean and cancelled his visit to the US. It was March 1999. Minister Geremek’s evaluations were harsh. Russia was interested in tension escalation because of the events in Yugoslavia, which is dangerous both for Poland and Europe. Despite of the global crisis, which demanded immediate attention of Minister Geremek, we continued to discuss the situation in Belarus.

- What happened when Polish Foreign Minister Bronisław Geremek succeeded in withdrawing the Polish Ambassador to Belarus, despite of the opinion of President Kwasniewski?

- It also shows Bronisław Geremek’s fidelity to principle. He couldn’t work with an ambassador, who was rather openly flirting with Lukashenka’s regime. This person was outwardly very gentle and highly cultured, but he could be very firm in defending his principles.

- Recently you voiced criticism against those in Poland who do not support the policy of sanctions against Lukashenka’s regime. You have called that a treason of Solidarity’s ideals. Geremek was one of the founders of Solidarity. Did he react to that criticism?

- I do not know, we were not so close. But I do not doubt Professor’s Geremek’s position. He reminded at a forum in Prague not long ago that “the last dictatorship in Europe” still exists in Belarus, and Europeans shouldn’t shut their eyes to that; it is unacceptable to flirt with Lukashenka’s regime. If the EU policy towards Belarus was defined by Geremek, he would not to yield an inch from the principles of democracy and respect for human rights. The great Polish citizen and European Bronisław Geremek will be deeply missed by us.

Questions by Roman Yakowlewski

NOTE

Andrei Sannikov

Born in 1954 in Minsk

Graduated from Minsk State Pedagogical Institute of Foreign languages (1997), Diplomatic Academy of the Foreign Ministry of the USSR (1989). Since 1991 worked in the Foreign Ministry of Belarus. Occupied the position of a Deputy Foreign Minister of Belarus (1995-1996).

On the eve of the referendum (November 1996) resigned protesting against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s policy.

The international coordinator of the Charter’97 and one of the leaders of the civil campaign “European Belarus”.