"No national minority can live without an education system. Everyone understands this – Lithuanians living in Poland and the Poles living in Lithuania. We also understand that education determines existence or non-existence of Polish national minorities here," he said at a Polish-language gymnasium in Šalčininkai, a town in southeastern Lithuania close to the Belarusian border.
In Komorowski's words, the Polish state is paying ever more attention to its national minorities living abroad. He added that Poland's support to the education of Poles in Lithuania would continue.
"We are paying this attention on the matter and are working to persuade our partners in Lithuania, seeking that the education conditions for Poles in Lithuania are not made worse. The attention is demonstrated by the renovated Šalčininkai school," the Polish president emphasized.
He said that Lithuania and Poland had a number of issues to discuss and negotiate. The president noted joint projects implemented by both countries, stressing that education had always been and will be in focus of Poland's attention.
During his first visit in Šalčininkai, he said the town was the capital of the Polish national minority in Lithuania. He thanked the local administration for their efforts to educate local youth and preserve their Polish spirit. In Komorowski's words, the high level of Polish-language education in Lithuania can be seen from high admission rates to universities and colleges.
In his speech, Komorowski also emphasized the economic Lithuanian-Polish ties. In his words, Poland's achievements on the international arena and economic development are also beneficial to Lithuania. He said he was glad about the business and economic ties.
The situation of the Polish national minority in Lithuania was discussed by the leader of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania, MEP Valdemar Tomaševski, and MPs Jaroslav Narkevič and Michal Mackevič.
Tomaševski noted a lack of dialogue between national minorities and the current Lithuanian administration.
A representative of the parent body of the school community said the Polish president's visit to Šalcininkai comes during a threatening period to the Polish education. She said the community would “go to the streets” on March 17 to make sure their voice is heard. On that day, local Poles in Vilnius are planning a rally in protest against provisions of the Education Law, which stipulates equal requirements for all students taking the examination of the Lithuanian language and provides for teaching of more school subjects in Lithuanian.
On the occasion of Komorowski's visit, the school was decorated with colors of Lithuanian and Polish flags, students held a concert.
Komorowski is in Lithuania on Thursday to mark the Re-establishment of Statehood Day. After the visit to Salcininkai, he met with President Dalia Grybauskaitė, greeted the nation at the Simono Daukanto Square in front of the President's Office and attended a service at the Vilnius Cathedral.
