Parade under white-red-white flags in Warsaw on May 9 (Photo)

• 11.05.2009, 12:48

On Victory Day, when Minsk decorated with portraits of Stalin was celebrating victory over fascism, Warsaw marked the fifth anniversary of joining the European Union and the 20th anniversary of democracy and free elections.

The Schuman Parade has been held in Warsaw for the tenth time. It is called in honour of the Schuman Plan – a proposal of 1950 to create a single authority to control the production of steel and coal in Western European countries that later became a symbol of European economic, political, and even cultural integration, “Belorusskie Novosti” writes.

Everyone who supports an idea of Europe’s integration could take part in the event. Judging by the people marching, Belarusian refugees are worried over this idea most of all in modern Poland. Belarusian political refugees were carrying national white-red-white flags, half as large as red-white Polish flags.

“We have come here because were are not indifferent, we want Belarus to become a part of Europe,” one of the participants of the Belarusian delegation with huge national flags. “I was exiled from Belarus and I live here, but I will never deny this flag.

One of the main aims of the Schuman Parade is attracting attention of public to elections to the European Parliament scheduled for June 7.