Vilnija

Vilnija is a Lithuanian cultural and political organization, created to promote and cherish Lithuanian culture in Vilnius region. Due to its frequent anti-Polish bias[1] it has been described as extremist[2][3][4] and nationalist.[5][6][7][8]

History and policies

The organization was formed in 1988, by Lithuanian cultural and Sąjūdis activists and its primary aim was the cherishing of Lithuanian language and culture in Vilnius region. The organization is mostly composed of ethnic Lithuanians although it was later joined by a token Polish organization, the Association of St. Zita (Stowarzyszenie Św. Zyty).[6] The organization was created by Romualdas Ozolas and has been led for many years by Kazimieras Garšva.[3][8][9] Its program, elaborated in a monograph by Garšva,[10] is based on the research that the big part of the Polish minority in Lithuania are in fact Polonized Lithuanians and that their true identity had been erased by years of foreign occupation.[11] To counter such situation, the organization proposed that they should be brought back to their Lithuanian roots by removing any trace of alien (that is, Polish or Russian) textbooks, teachers, symbols and traditions.[11] The organization's goal is also to counter perceived growing Polish influence in Lithuania, which Vilnija sees as a threat to that nation.[11]

Controversies

Vilnija has been seen by Polish government and media to often organize or support anti-Polish actions[4][6][9] and the academic works of its leader, the philologist Kazimieras Garšva, have been negatively received by the Polish government[12][13] and media.[14][15]

Vilnija takes an interest in the political situation of the Lithuanians of the Vilnius Region. It is critical of the Election Action of Lithuania's Poles party, which it claims discourages the assimilation of the national minorities of Lithuania and constantly tries to present the Polish minority as prosecuted.[16] Valdemar Tomaševski, the leader of EAPL, describes Vilnija as nationalistic.[17][18]

Vilnija often voices concern about the situation of Lithuanian schools in the areas of Polish minority.[19][20] According to Vilnija, the local government propagates Polish schools at the expense of Lithuanian schools.[19][20] Vilnija is also active in the campaign against allowing members of the Polish minority in Lithuania to be able to spell their names with a Polish alphabet in official documents.[21]

Members and supporters

Prominent members and supporters of the organization include its long-time leader, Kazimieras Garšva,[11] Seimas deputy and organization's founder Romualdas Ozolas,[4] and writer Izidorius Šimelionis.[22] In 2016, Kazimieras Garšva was presented with the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania.[23] Lithuanian linguist-historian Zigmas Zinkevičius was also supporter of Vilnija.[24]

References
  1. Budryte, Dovile (2005). Taming Nationalism?: Political Community Building in the Post-Soviet Baltic States. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing. p. 103. ISBN 0-7546-3757-3.
  2. Mudde, Cas (2005). Racist Extremism in Central and Eastern Europe. London: Routledge (UK). p. 151. ISBN 0-415-35593-1.
  3. "Litewska prokuratura przesłuchuje weteranów AK" [Lithuanian prosecutor questioning AK veterans]. Gazeta Wyborcza (in Polish). 14 February 2001. Retrieved 7 June 2006.
  4. Vilkas, Leonardas. "Litewska, Łotewska i Estońska droga do niepodległości i demokracji: próba porównania" [Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian Way to Independence: An Attempt to Compare]. homepage of Jerzy Targalski, professor of University of Warsaw (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2007-09-28.
  5. Bielenin, Karolina; Tomasiewicz, Jarosław. "Polish Minority in Lithuania". Stowarzyszenie na rzecz Wielości Kultur. Stowarzyszenie Wspierania Kultur Etnicznych. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  6. Cieplak, Paweł. "Polsko-litewskie stosunki" [Polish-Lithuanian Affairs]. Ambasada.lt (in Polish). UAB "Penki kontinentai". Archived from the original on 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  7. Zuchowicz, Katarzyna (16 July 2003). "Pół wieku z polskim słowem" [Half a Century With a Polish Word]. Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). Retrieved 2007-01-13 – via Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  8. Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (October 2006). "Ustawa o języku państwowym" [Statute on national language]. Media Zagraniczne O Polsce (Foreign Media on Poland) (in Polish). XV (200/37062). Retrieved 2006-01-20. Commentary on Vincas Urbutis' article "Debaty nad ustawą o języku" (Debates on the Language Act) in Lietuvos aidas.
  9. Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (October 2006). "Antypolski tekst K. Garsvy" [Anti-Polish text by K. Garšva]. Media Zagraniczne O Polsce (Foreign Media on Poland) (in Polish). XV (200/37062). Retrieved 2006-01-20. Commentary on Garšva's article "Kiedy na Wileńszczyźnie będzie wprowadzone zarządzanie bezpośrednie?" (When Vilnius region will have direct self-government?)" in Lietuvos aidas.
  10. Garšva, Kazimieras (1990). Pietryčių Lietuvos autonomijos klausimai [Questions on the Autonomy of South-Eastern Lithuania] (in Lithuanian). Vilnius: Eksperimentinė technikos paminklų restauravimo įmonė. OCLC 311338314.
  11. Budryte, Dovile (2005). Taming Nationalism?: Political Community Building in the Post-Soviet Baltic States. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing. pp. 147–148. ISBN 0-7546-3757-3.
  12. Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (March 2005). ""Armia Krajowa na Litwie - ślepa uliczka historii" - cd". Media Zagraniczne O Polsce (Foreign Media on Poland) (in Polish). XIV (2539/3292). Retrieved 2006-01-15.
  13. Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (September 2004). "Dr Garsva - prezes nacjonalistycznego stowarzyszenia Vilnija (...)". Media Zagraniczne O Polsce (Foreign Media on Poland) (in Polish). XIII (2409/3162). Retrieved 2006-01-15.
  14. "Uknuli prowokację". Tygodnik Wileńszczyzny (in Polish). November 2005. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  15. Mickiewicz, Robert (15 March 2005). "Antypolski film w litewskiej telewizji". Rzeczpospolita (in Polish). 62. Retrieved 2007-01-15.
  16. Vilimas, Darius (20 December 2002). "Geresnio gyvenimo troškulys" [The Thirst for a Better Life]. XXI amžius (in Lithuanian). 96 (1103). ISSN 2029-1299.
  17. "Komu przeszkadza AWPL?". Nasz Dziennik (in Polish). February 3, 2014.
  18. "Nacjonalizm i kameleonizm byłej sowieckiej nomenklatury akademickiej". Kurier Wileński (in Polish). February 3, 2014.
  19. Urbonaitė, Ieva (9 June 2006). "Už augantį lenkiškų mokyklų mokinių skaičių politikai gauna premijas" [Politicians Receive Bonuses for the Growing Number of the Pupils in Polish Schools] (in Lithuanian). Delfi.lt.
  20. Urbonaitė, Ieva (17 August 2006). "Ministrės pečius užgulė Vilniaus krašto mokyklų problemos" [The Problems of the Schools of Vilnius Region Shouldered by the Minister] (in Lithuanian). Delfi.lt.
  21. "Stowarzyszenie "Vilnija" przeciw polskiej pisowni nazwisk w litewskich dokumentach" (PDF). Biuletyn Polonijny Ministerstwa Spraw Zagranicznych (in Polish). 2: 13–14. 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-03-07.
  22. Kasperavičius, Algis (2003). "Współcześni historycy litewscy o sprawie Wilna i stosunkach polsko-litewskich w latach 1918-1940 oraz zmiany w potocznej świadomości Litwinów". In Buchowski, Krzysztof; Śleszyński, Wojciech (eds.). Historycy polscy, litewscy i białoruscy wobec problemów XX wieku Historiografia polska, litewska i białoruska po 1989 roku (PDF) (in Polish). Instytut Historii Uniwersytetu w Białymstoku. p. 106. ISBN 83-910713-9-1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-22.
  23. "Prezidentė apdovanojo Lietuvą garsinančius žmones" (in Lithuanian). Office of the President of the Republic of Lithuania. 6 July 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2018.
  24. Nemeikaitė, Sigita (21 May 2011). ""Vilnijos" draugija telkia ir telkiasi naujiems iššūkiams". Voruta (in Lithuanian). 10 (724): 7. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
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