RYSZARDSCHNEPF-Ambassador of Poland
PHOTOBYTONYPOWELL
W
hat role would you like to see Poland play on the International stage in the
coming decade? Poland’s role grows first of all within the European Union.
It is not just a coincidence that a new president of the European Council is our
former Prime Minister Tusk. It reflects the growing economic power and a growing
influence within the EU and its politics, its defense system and a lot of life and that
means of course that we can be a great supporting power within Europe for the
transatlantic cooperation.
With the current Russian-Ukrainian conflict, does Poland have any security
concerns? I would say that everyone feels that simply because it’s right on our
border. We joined other democratic countries claiming that every country has a
right to decide its future. The Ukrainian people expressed a strong to join the EU
and the NATO system. As we know, it ended up with the straight, direct aggression
from the Russian Federation, so President Putin’s policy toward Ukraine creates a
real threat, perhaps not to Poland in the first place, but to the smaller much more
exposed countries, the Baltic countries. But of course, this is our neighborhood
and also our responsibility as a EU member and NATO member to defend all allied
countries and its citizens so we should of course, look for the peaceful solution. We
are not in favor of the military conflict solution. We would like to see a real diplomatic
outcome, which would be a cease-fire.
What role do you feel Poland should be playing in the current Syrian refugee
crisis? This morning three ministers of the Visegrad group, which is Czech Republic,
Slovakia, Hungary and Poland, met in Prague together with Germany to discuss the
possible solution. It’s not easy simply because we have no structures that would be
prepared to adopt a bigger number of refugees from the South, but Poland will fuel
solidarity with its people and other EU countries facing the wave of people coming
and looking for shelter. Polish people had waves of exodus and the last big one was
just before the Martial Law in Poland was [imposed] in 1980. We received substantial
help from many governments. We don’t forget that our people, even if they were not
facing death and danger as many do in Syria, were oppressed; they felt like there was
no future in communist Poland at that time. We will participate in the joint action to
support the people coming from the South who are in great need.
Why is it important to you that Poland be included in the Visa Waiver program?
It’s mutually beneficial, simply for the human reasons of letting people get together
more easily. We are no t considered to be a country from which a real threat comes
to the U.S. The old times when Polish people were coming to look for a job are
over. Now the question is why Polish people can go to such distant places as Costa
Rica and the Dominican Republic but cannot go to the U.S. They don’t need a visa
to visit those countries. It blocks an important part of the business.
You’ve been a big proponent of promoting Polish culture, including sports. Do you
have a favorite Polish athlete? My favorite and my personal friend is Marcin Gortat,
no doubt. Not only because he’s a great sportsman, but he’s also doing a wonderful
job promoting the relationship between Poland and the U.S. He’s bringing kids here
to show them what real basketball is like. Perhaps I should be jealous, but I’m not,
that he is a better ambassador than I.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in your post so far? I’m very proud
that President Obama visited [Poland] a year ago. Also, when I was arriving to
Washington things seemed to be cold and all of a sudden there’s interest in our
Eastern border. I’m very proud that we played a small role in bringing American
attention to what’s going on there.
@PolishEmbassyUS
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