Interview with Vytis Jurkonis in today’s Baltic Times:
Relations between Poland and Lithuania have become over-politicized

Vytis Jurkonis

What do you think about the policy of Poland towards Lithuania? MEP Vytautas Landsbergis told the magazine IQ that Poland has “a psychological defect from some heritage.”

My opinion is that the relations between Poland and Lithuania became over-politicized. Both sides have run into a situation where none of them can step out and decline their ‘principled position.’

Psychological defects are present both in Poland and in Lithuania and it shows first of all that we are not indifferent to ourselves and to our history. Nonetheless, I feel that some politicians cannot accept the fact that the concept of a nation is changing – we see the process when the voluntary and civic aspect of the identity is starting to prevail over the cultural one. One can resist that, can try to minimize the effects, but you cannot just deny the process. All in all those psychological or mentality issues, which certainly exist, are being manipulated and exaggerated by some politicians. This is the cheapest way to mobilize their electorate.

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