PM Tusk in Lithuania talks amid growing tension between neighbours

PM Donald Tusk had talks with his counterpart Andrius Kubilius in Vilnius at the weekend, where the main topic on the agenda was legislation, due to come into force in 2013, which would limit access ethnic Polish school pupils in Lithuania have to learning the Polish language.

“We also tackled other issues related to the Polish minority but the focus was on education, which requires honest discussion, especially that the reform introducing new regulations has brought about concerns and tension among ethnic Poles,” PM Tusk said in Vilnius.

Tusk welcomed the joint Polish-Lithuanian decision to create a team of experts to establish possible consequences of the new Lithuanian education law for the community of Poles in the country, which shares a border with Poland.

PM Andrius Kubilius, on his part, pointed to the high standards of education provided for Poles in Lithuania.

“I repeatedly assure that we have one of the best Polish education systems offered outside Poland. Lithuania is the only country in the world where the Polish minority enjoys access to education in their language starting from kindergarten to university,” he said.

A meeting of Polish and Lithuanian deputy education ministers will take place within a week, both heads of government said. (pg/ss)