Holocaust Remembrance Day: Jews from Belarus and Ukraine

   Today is the International Holocaust Remembrance Day. On this day in 1945 the Auschwitz Concentration Camp was liberated by Soviet Army. More than a million people were killed in the death camp. Initially it was directed to Polish political prisoners, then Jewish question was moved along, then Roma and Sinti. Before the World War II two-third of Jewish population in Europe lived in Poland and Eastern Europe (Western Belarus and Western Ukraine). The population of towns in these parts of Belarus and Ukraine consisted from around 40% of Jews. After the war the numbers decreased dramatically. We should always remember it and these tragic facts cannot be denied. As the fact that other human slaughtering is happening nowadays. There are things in this world that have a special meaning for entire mankind and genocide is the biggest of them.

Aushwitz

Bialowieza forest in France

             It was a big pleasure and great experience to present our project “Bialowieza forest – European natural heritage” in Nantes, France last week. Besides the opportunity to explain the importance of the oldest forest in Europe and to show pictures of amazing nature and animals to the participants of the forum, we have received a great feedback! Radio of Nantes broadcasted the interview with me and my project partner last Friday and I hope people from Brittany discovered Bialowieza forest as their next tourist destination. Early next year we will confirm the project implementation and its form more precise: it will be an art installations inspired by Bialowieza and a workshop with an expert from Belarus in Warsaw. We will be grateful for any additional support!

   

The road to hell is paved with good intentions

               Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia, Kirill, has decided that it is not enough to teach people by love but by punishment. After huge controversial law proposal of total abortion prohibition in Poland, where the abortion is banned for many decades (except three circumstances), Russia’s head of church has seen a niche for an improvement in Russia’s law. The situation with abortions in Russia is already so dramatic that such law will bring more harm to unborn children, mothers and society in general. The traditional methods of abortion, illegal “hospitals” with unqualified “specialists” in basements, left newborns in the streets will bloom and expand.

 

Nobody wants to wait until it comes to them

There are recent movements in Europe that make one think that peaceful times have passed. The countries that are not yet NATO members trying to become ones. Georgia and Montenegro are making steadfast steps towards the accession. Countries belonged to the North Atlantic Alliance are also trying to obtain more security. Poland, with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Witold Waszczykowski, has taken a strong position regarding its NATO membership role in the region. The substantial preparations for the NATO Summit in Warsaw show that many things has changed in Europe. And the tension is in the air.

Essential lessons for Ukraine: Poland and Georgia

           My article devoted to reforms in Ukraine has been published by VoxUkraine, an independent analytical platform. It presents the possible scenario of anti-corruption, public administration and economic reforms using the experience of Ukrainian neighbours. Georgia has shown unpredictable results, initiating core reforms within couple of years, starting 2003. Poland, being on the edge of economic collapse in the 1989, implemented drastic economic reforms called "Shock therapy", which has boost the economic development. One of the key "ingredient" of successful reforms is the strong political will of a government to perform the reforms.

http://voxukraine.org/2016/02/11/georgia-and-poland-lessons-for-ukraine-en/