Georges Mink on the 'decommunisation' of Poland

George Mink, a professor at the Polish branch of the College of Europe (Natolin), explains in an interview conducted by Jean-François Verdonnet how Poland is facing up to its past. "Those in power owe their election to the demand for resolute 'decommunisation'. Poland was the first country in Eastern Europe to detach itself from the Soviet block. At the time, the way out was negotiated in exchange for a policy of clemency towards all those who had served the Communist regime. However, the terms of the agreement have now been denounced by the majority. The long-deferred process of 'lustration' is now defended by leaders who also use it to position themselves on the political scene. This is running the risk indicated a little while ago by Jacek Kuron, the former leader of the democratic opposition who compared lustration to a 'grenade thrown into a cess pit, splattering all around for a long time'."

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