Poland 89’- Belarus 91’. Non-equivalent changes

Editors: Wojciech Borodzicz-Smoliński, Andriej Klikunou

The year of 1989 was a crucial period of time for Poland, just like the year of 1991 was a turning point for Belarus. These two borderlines are united with the changes they caused on the political map of the world.

The “Round Table” and the election to the Sejm took place in Poland in 1989. These events reflected the existing public expectations in the country. The changes in Poland gave another impulse to breaking the Berlin Wall. The Polish events were highly important, since both the government and the opposition manifested the possibility of holding peaceful negotiations, introducing the free market economy, and upgrading the fixed assets. Also, they showed the possibility of democratic voting and election of democratic government, the society was waiting for. The year of 1991 brought independence to Belarus. Also, it was the year of formal collapse of the Soviet Union. Since December 26, 1991, feeling quite bewildered
in the new situation, just as all other former Soviet Republics, Belarus started building up its position on the international stage as a sovereign international entity.

These two important events in the history of Poland and Belarus impelled us to learn how the Belarusian people recollect that period of time in the past on the 20th anniversary of the “Round Table” meeting in Poland. Also, it was interesting to learn if the Belarusians are satisfied with the changes in their country and whether they realize the meaning of the events at the turn of 1980-ies and the beginning of 1990-ies for themselves as well as for Europe and the world.

The project team hopes that that the collected articles will help you to see Belarus in a new way and stir up open debates with the participation of journalists and young civil activists on the subject-matter.

This publication has been generously supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland in the framework of the project: „Poland before taking over the rotating presidency of the European Union. Threats and challenges. A training project for regional Belarusian journalists.”