“Solidarity” with Belarus (Photo)

• 1.02.2010, 16:29

Leaders of the Belarusian opposition Andrei Sannikov and Stanislau Shushkevich visited Warsaw by invitation of Lech Walesa Institute.

The Lech Walesa Institute, founded by the former president of Poland and legendary leader of Solidarity trade union, holds annual meetings of famous politicians, public figures, human rights activists, analysts, journalists from Poland and other countries in Warsaw. Belarus was represented by Stanislau Shushkevich, the chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada, and Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the civil campaign European Belarus.

Lech Walesa said at the opening ceremony that Europe needs solidarity, based on values of democracy and freedom, today as never before. In the politician’s view, if Europe doesn’t create a solid foundation for development of civil and political values, it won’t be able to answer global challenges.

Stanislau Shushkevich and Andrei Sannikov met with legendary Solidarity figures, members of the Polish Parliament (including the heads of both chambers), public figures, journalists at the forum in Warsaw. They discussed the political situation in Belarus and a role of Poland in democratization of out country.

“We convinced ourselves again that lots of people are interested in the situation in Belarus, concerned with the events in the country, discuss the new EU policy and, by the way, take it rather sceptically. A lot of Polish politicians are interested in a predictable neighbouring state. They hope Belarus will become a democratic state in future,” leader of the European Belarus Andrei Sannikov told in an interview to charter97.org.

Stanislau Shushkevich and Czeslaw Bielecki, the author of the famous Small Conspirator, publisher of clandestine literature

Stanislau Shushkevich, outstanding Polish actor Daniel Olbrychski, and Andrei Sannikov

Stanislau Shushkevich and President of Warsaw Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz

Stanislau Shushkevich, Lech Walesa, and Andrei Sannikov (from archive)