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Kościński, Piotr
5 articles of this author have been cited in the European Press Review so far.
Belarus moves closer to Europe
Poles and Belarusians who live no more than 30 kilometres from the border between their two countries can in future visit the other country without a visa. A treaty with Poland containing this provision was ratified by the Belarusian parliament on Thursday. This is a positive signal for Belarus, the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita writes: "This is a sign that Minsk really does want to improve relations with our country. When journalists recently asked Alexander Lukashenko when the treaty which was signed long ago would finally be ratified his convincing answer was: 'To be honest I don't know, but I'll look into it. It will soon be examined by parliament. I don't think there will be any problems there.' Although it is mainly the Belarusian side that profits from this treaty Warsaw was very keen on it. Because if we can convince the Belarusians to move closer to Europe we should also make it possible for them to travel to Europe."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU neighbourhood policy, » Poland, » Belarus
Russia should move closer to Nato
The think tank Insor which has close ties to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has published plans for a rapprochement between Russia and Nato. Excellent news, writes the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita, which is prone to take a critical stance regarding Russia: "Rapprochement between Russia and Nato, Russian membership in the Alliance, true, it sounds like pure fantasy. But Medvedev's advisors have seriously weighed various possibilities for being integrated into Nato. That is good news for us, because it means that Russia really has changed in a positive direction. For all those who take an impartial, dispassionate stance on international relations it is clear that Nato is not Russia's enemy. The world has changed so much that the real danger for Moscow does not lie in the West, but in the South and the East. Emotions continue to play a role in politics, however. And millions of Russians continue to see the North Atlantic Alliance as an enemy."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Poland, » Russia
Improve relations with Ukraine
Despite the election victory of Viktor Yanukovych, who is widely regarded as pro-Russian, Poland should not turn its back on Ukraine, the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita writes: "We must be more active than ever regarding our Ukrainian neighbour. ... Viktor Yanukovych may be decried as a pro-Russian politician but his main attribute is pragmatism. In the end his election does not decide anything. Rather we can expect more bickering about the most important issues. So we need to put all the more effort into convincing the Ukrainians that the pro-European course is the more profitable one, that Poland continues to advocate their interests within the EU and Nato, and that we want to continue working with them - no matter who's in power in Kiev."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Elections, » Poland, » Ukraine
Lukashenko comes out of political isolation
Pope Benedict XVI has given an audience to Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has also had a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The dictator is coming out of his political isolation, Piotr Kościński notes in the conservative daily Rzeczpospolita: "This is the symbolic end of the international isolation of a person who is referred to as Europe's last dictator. But what is crucial now is that Europe doesn't start believing that the 'Belarus problem' has been solved. In recent years Lukashenko and his closest colleagues have only travelled to Moscow and the capitals of states governed by the radical left - such as Beijing and Hanoi. The leaders of democratic states have not met him. … The strategy was to put Lukashenko under pressure. If he wanted to have contact with Europe and travel around the world he had to allow the democratisation of Belarus."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » Italy
Poland should help Ukraine where it can
The daily Rzeczpospolita looks at the dramatic economic climate in Ukraine, where the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) sank by 14.4 percent in November: "Ukrainian politics has become increasingly alarming in recent months. The political in-fighting has only grown worse, as has the conflict between the prime minister and parliament. Ukraine is now in the throes of all this. The countries of Eastern Europe must reform to further their development. Meanwhile politicians in Kiev are only caught up with themselves. Instead of discussing the economy, they divide up the posts among themselves. ... The weaker Ukraine is, the more it will be dependent on Russia - its powerful neighbour. To remind readers: the existence of an independent Ukraine is extremely important for Poland. Poland should help Ukraine where it can. We should bring the country's plea for help to Brussels."
» full article (external link, Polish)
More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Poland, » Ukraine
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