The Polish minority in the Republic of Lithuania: internal and external factors

LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Etninės mažumos; Lenkija (Lenkijos karalystė. Kingdom of Poland. Poland); Lenkų mažuma; Lenkų mažuma Lietuvoje; Ethnic minorities; European Union; Lithuania; Polish minority; Polish minority in Lithuania; Rusija (Russia); Europos Sąjunga (European Union).

ENThe ethnic makeup of the population significantly affects the domestic policy of any state, and its relations with neighbouring countries. Although interactions with ethnic minorities are not as urgent a problem in Lithuania as they are in the two other Baltic States, ethnicity-related conflicts continue to occur, particularly, as regards the relations between the Lithuanian state and the Polish minority, which is the largest in the country. The Polish minority - Lithuania-Poland relations are not the only factor that affects the situation of the Poles in Lithuania. The other important factors are Lithuania and Poland’ EU membership, the relations between Lithuania and Russia, and the Russian minority in Lithuania. Our analysis shows that the EU membership of Lithuania and Poland did not provide an instant solution to the problem of the Polish minority but rather attenuated it. Although the EU factor played a significant role before the accession of Poland and Lithuania to the Union, its influence is very limited today. The effect of the Russian factor is different. Strained Polish-Russian relations do not affect the relations between the Polish and Russian minorities in Lithuania. On the contrary, both minorities collaborate on a wide range of issues. [From the publication]

• Polish interstate relations with Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania after 1990 in the context of the situation of national minorities / Marek Barwiński. European spatial research and policy. 2013, Vol. 20, Nr. 1, p. 5-26.
• War, ethnic conflict and the refugee crisis in Lithuania, 1939–1940 / Tomas Balkelis. Contemporary European history. 2007, Vol. 16, pt. 4, p. 461-477.