POLISH-BELARUSIAN RELATIONS IN 2005–2015

Abstract

The article highlights the multilateral aspects of the Polish-Belarusian relations in 2005–2015. It is noted that having achieved the most important goals of foreign policy, becoming a full member of the EU and NATO, Poland decided to develop and deepen the Eastern vector. Relations with Belarus in the previous period, unlike the relations with Ukraine and Russia, remained at the low political level. At the same time, after Poland joined the EU in 2014, its foreign policy was consistent with the general policy of the European Union towards Belarus. It was established that the main reason for the negative tendencies in the Polish-Belarusian relations was   the Belarusian authorities’ interference with the activities of the Polish minority and organizations that represented it, as well as the strengthening of the authoritarian government in the internal political life of Belarus. The Polish authorities consistently supported their own minority, as well as the opposition forces and civil society in Belarus, which usually caused dissatisfaction of the official Minsk. Relations between Belarus and the West, and Poland in particular, were changeable, depending on its relationship with the Kremlin. Russia’s support, supplemented by the accelerated process of privatization of the Belarusian economy with the participation of Russian capital, led to the financial-economic and military-political dependence of Belarus, which over the years, not only decreased, but deepened. It was noted that the policy of isolation and diplomatic pressure on the Belarusian political elites narrowed the space for the maneuvering of Polish authorities, and they lost the opportunity to influence the political processes in Belarus. Therefore, Poland was trying to use the Russian-Belarusian conflicts in order to draw the Belarusian leadership closer to the western world and depart it from Moscow. In particular, this was to be facilitated by the European Eastern Partnership program, which, however, did not produce significant results for Belarus. The Belarusian authorities continued the policy of authoritarian rule, persecution of the opposition and falsification of elections.At the same time, under the influence of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, the leadership of Belarus cautiously took a course on improving relations with the Western countries and a more balanced foreign policy.