In the statement of the faction the context of the protest of EAPL faction members is presented.
'On 11th January 1991, during the very important moment for Lithuania protecting its independence, chairman of the faction of Association of Poles in Lithuania (APL) turned to the Lithuania's inhabitants in the Supreme Council of Lithuania: 'Today, during such a difficult moment for our homeland, I turn to you, my dear countrymen and all the inhabitants of Lithuania. I appeal to wisdom, peace, and mutual understanding. Dear countrymen remember that we lived and will live together with Lithuanian nation. We have the responsibility to ensure that we and all the future generations will live in peace, that differences in cultures, traditions and languages would serve the mutual enrichment and respect. Today let us forget everything that separates us, let us forgive everyone, who did not want to understand us, let us look for something that unites us, i.e. reluctance of the dictate and violence, common aspiration for freedom, democracy and independence. On 15th January 1991, Chief Board of the APL supporting the position of the APL faction in the Supreme Council condemned the use of force and confirmed further creation of independent Lithuania in a separate statement. On 16th January 1991, Chief Board of the APL disclosed its appeal to officers of Polish origin who served in Soviet army, to reserve soldiers and conscripts: 'At the time Soviet army is being used in criminal actions. If you receive an order to participate in such actions, do not shoot at unarmed civilians, avoid the use of violence. Do not be used as tools for the strangulation of freedom and democracy. Be faithful to polish motto 'For our freedom and yours,' the statement of the faction says.
The amendments to the Law on National Minorities adopted in 1991 are named by the EAPL faction as a step made by Lithuanians towards better Lithuanian-Polish relations in the Vilnius region
'On 29th January 1991, when evaluating the unambiguous position of Lithuanian Poles in speaking and defending the independence of Lithuania, Lithuanians made perhaps the first step towards better Lithuanian-Polish relations in the Vilnius region - the Supreme Council of Lithuania adopted amendments to the Law on National Minorities in which part of the Poles' and other nationalities' requirements were reflected and legally established, including the use of the native language in public life in addition to the Lithuanian state language. This document became the basis of mutual confidence and of solving the most sensitive problems of the population of Vilnius region,' the EAPL faction reminds the historic peripeteia of Lithuanian-Polish relations.
The members of the EAPL faction deplores about the fact that recent event in the country show that the loyalty of national minorities to Lithuania and their honest work is not valued.
'Unfortunately, recent events show that the loyalty of national minorities to the independent Lithuania, decent and honest work for the sake of the state are not valued. New version of the Law on National Minorities is not adopted and in the version in preparation the attempts are being made to reject the provisions adopted during the independence period. Moreover, the comeback of the provisions adopted in January 1991 and acting for 20 years is being blocked. Cynical is the fact, that the same political force - the Conservatives, which signed the Law on National Minorities with the hand of its leader V. Landsbergis and abolished it in 2010 - is against the return of the Law today and is actively blocking in all possible ways even the inclusion of the subject on the agenda of the Plenary meeting. To add, on the eve of the Christmas Eve, on 23rd December 2013, the penalty of 43 400 litas for not having removed the bilingual plates from private buildings has been imposed by the court on Boleslav Daškevič, Director of the Administration of the Šalčininkai district self-government. We would like to underline, that these bilingual plates were hung legally long ago - in accordance with the Law on National Minorities valid from 29th January 1991,' the faction states.
EAPL expressed the view, that the ruling of the Vilnius Regional Court which imposed the fine on B. Daškevič, was political.
'Having in mind the fact that the fines are imposed because national minorities use their native language in the district where 80 per cent of population are Poles, this court ruling is purely political. Unfortunately, it casts a shadow on the courts of our state, as it is hard to imagine such situation when a superior court increases a fine almost hundred times in a civilised, democratic state,' the EAPL faction members say.
The politicians also explain why they left the room during the speech of Vytautas Landsbergis.
'Taking into account the emerged situation, which humiliates human dignity and ignores the rights of citizens to use their native language in addition to the national language in public life, the EAPL faction in Lithuanian Seimas expresses a strong protest by leaving the room during the speaking time of V. Landsbergis,' the EAPL faction underlines.
The members of the EAPL faction ensure that they will take part in all the major events dedicated to mark the 13th January.
'Underlining our sincere respect for the victims and the participants of the 13th January, we will actively take part in all the major events dedicated to mark the Freedom Defenders' Day:
12.00 - National flag raising ceremony at the Independence Square;
13.30 - The homage to the victims of 13th January on the Antakalnis Cemetery;
17.30 - Mass at the Vilnius Cathedral,' the EAPL stated.
The EAPL faction once again demanded in a first matter of urgency to adopt the Law on National Minorities, abolish judicial orders which punished the citizens for the use of native language and separate Lithuanian legal system from politics.
'Expressing our protest, we declare that we will decidedly take all democratic ways in Lithuania as well as in the international space to defend the rights of national minorities. We also want to notice that we will appeal to all international institutions and people of good will regarding the violation of human rights in our multinational and multicultural country. The Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania faction in Lithuanian Seimas once again demands:
1. To adopt the Law on National Minorities in a first matter of urgency, which would legally restore the rights of national minorities agreed in January 1991, in the presence of threat to the independence and which were in force until 2010;
2. The abolition of the judicial orders, which are oppressive and which punish Lithuanian citizens for the use of their native language in public life;
3. The depoliticisation of Lithuanian legal system, the withdrawal of all complains which are related to the use of the minority languages in public life,' says the statement distributed by the EAPL faction in the Lithuanian Seimas.
