Increased activity of far-right organizations in Poland has led to emergence of a radical nationalist movement in southeastern Lithuania over the past few years, the Lithuanian State Security Department said on Monday.
“Over the past few years, a movement of Polish radical nationalists formed in southeastern Lithuania,” reads a report published by the department.
According to the document, the initial cause of the movement was a rather strong social and cultural isolation of the Polish community in Poland, however, “the main impulse came from the increased activity of Polish right-wing organizations and their contacts in the Vilnius region.”
The department said the movement does not threaten Lithuania’s territorial integrity, however, “its operations and individual incidents may escalate ethnic tensions in southeastern Lithuania, trigger negative attitude in the society towards the Polish community in Lithuania.”
The department said Russia also aims to take advantage of the problems of the Vilnius region.
“Operations and requirements of some leaders of the Polish community in the Vilnius region are in line with the objectives of the Russian foreign policy,” reads the document.
According to the State Security Department, the Russian Embassy in Vilnius “offers exclusively active support the unification of ethnic parties before the elections.”
The Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania and the Russian Alliance will together run for the upcoming elections to the European Parliament.
Source: the Lithuanian Tribune