• Agnieszka Wolk-Laniewska, journalist, columnist for the national weekly newspaper NIE – left-wing, ad-free.
• Beata Machul-Telus, PhD, political scientist and educator. President of the Association for the Development of Civil Society PRO HUMANUM.
• Maciej Wisniowski, PhD, journalist, reporter, founder and owner of the news portal „Strajk.eu“

(The interview was conducted by Agnieszka Wolk-Laniewska)

You have sent a greeting address to the demonstration on 25.11.2023 in Berlin. What was your motive?

We’re deeply concerned about almost unanimous military frenzy, uniting all sides of the political scene in Poland. From the nationalist right – the until-recently-ruling-party PiS – through the currently ruling Civic Platform and its centrist and center-left coalition partners, all the way to the alternative left – every force in Polish politics is enthusiastic about armaments, military spending and sending arms to Ukraine; “peace” has become a dirty word. We do believe there is a need for the voice of reason and moderation; we know we can’t do it alone. Although there is currently deep anti-European and especially anti-German sentiment in many parts of Polish society – there are still some people, mainly on the progressive left, that respect the idea of working together with pan-European partners, building international support for progressive ideas. We believe that the knowledge that there is a European anti-war movement can encourage many of them to voice their opinion.

In your greeting address, you show on the one hand that the war propaganda of the government and the media is having an effect, and on the other hand, the social consequences are tangible. Why is there no connection between war and the attacks on social services to finance the costs of war? Is no party taking a position on the question of war?

It’s mostly the question of censorship: any voices against armament are labeled “pro-Russian” which is the kiss of death on Polish political scene. Also, in Poland we can’t exactly talk about “attacks on social services” linked directly to war. Most social services in Poland just are in very bad condition; have been long before the war. Public health service and education haven’t exactly deteriorated due to arms spending – they just don’t show any, badly needed, improvement. And there weren’t any cuts in social spending – quite decent since PiS government (family benefits, additional pension payments etc.) – because it would be political suicide for the new coalition. There are economist saying both, military and social spending, can’t be sustained in the long run – but of course no one is advising to cut military spending because of it.

In Germany, the victory of D. Tusk is celebrated. How do you see that? What impact does his victory have on the government’s war policy, is it pursuing an escalation of the war?

Donald Tusk is definitely pro-EU – his main selling point is “the only statesman of European stature in Poland”, and by PiS is seen as an influence agent for Germany, so the celebration is understood. But his victory, if anything, is going to makes things worse. At the end of its term PiS was distancing itself from Ukraine – albeit from nationalist positions, playing to growing number of Poles who are fed up with Ukrainians. In September PM Morawiecki even said that Poland would not be sending anymore weapons to Ukraine (it was in the midst of “grain war”, after Zelenski in UN accused Poland of “preparing the scene for the Moscow actor”). Tusk is going to make a point of being more pro-Ukrainian than Ukraine itself.

Are you planning on an event on the topic Against War – Against Social War? What is the goal?

We’re afraid demonstration is beyond our reach – but a conference is a possibility. There are a few well known and respected intellectuals, who are shunt out because of their unenthusiastic view on the “war effort”. We think that some of them can be persuaded to take part. The goal is rather minimalist  – to show, by social media, weekly NIE, portal Strajk.eu and so on, to others like-minded people that “other politics is possible”. During the conference, we would like to take the spell off the word “peace” – to remind its rank and proper meaning in the world. The current political and media narrative in Poland has created “peace” as an ugly word – associated only with the slogan Русский мир (Russkiy mir). Peace is an underestimated value, and we believe that with this small intellectual dispute we can contribute to opening up a different narrative.

How do you see the possibilities for further cooperation with the European Liaison Committee?

We don’t have serious experience in activism – so we’d rather follow your lead. We’re a bunch of people with very small organizations and no financing whatsoever. We have some contacts with some smart people who, we hope, can be persuaded to take part in our conference free of charge, and we do have a venue, owned (leased) by PRO HUMANUM, where we can organize a meeting or a conference. It’s not much – but we believe that by organizing conferences with the participation of a few, but nevertheless authoritative anti-war intellectuals, as well as acting in the media beyond the reach of informal censorship in force in our country, we can gradually broaden the base of like-minded people. We wish to make our own contribution to the struggle for peace and social justice – and a Europe without ideological barriers.