Polish MP Kacper Płażyński accuses Mieczysław Struk, the marshal of the Pomeranian Voivodeship, of pursuing pro-Russian policies and calls for official records about involvement in a campaign described as the “Russian Friendly” initiative to be transferred. The marshal’s office counters that the matter was settled in 2014 and that no current action is warranted.
Speaking at a press conference in Gdańsk, Płażyński recalled that in early February he asked whether the local government of the Pomeranian Voivodeship had participated in the so-called Russian Friendly campaign and what role it played in it.
Narrating events from 2014, he stated that as Russia invaded Ukraine, the Pomeranian regional authorities including Mr. Struk, the Pomeranian Regional Tourism Organization, and the organization Polska Friendly decided to invite Russian citizens to visit the Pomeranian Voivodeship. He noted that public sentiment toward Russia had shifted significantly since those days, given the subsequent aggression against Ukraine. He framed the matter as one of assessing past actions in light of changing circumstances.
Contested action
Płażyński emphasized that the marshal refused to disclose the circumstances under which he became the honorary patron of the Pomorskie Russian Friendly campaign. He described receiving a reply that he considered lacking substantive content, along with procedural letters from the marshal and the regional administration.
He added that he sought official documentation detailing the involvement of Mieczysław Struk, the provincial government, and the Pomeranian Regional Tourism Organization in the campaign. He claimed to have learned that those documents had been destroyed and announced plans to request an official report on their destruction.
The spokesperson for the marshal’s office, Michał Piotrowski, criticized the MP for not fully understanding the party’s foreign policy perspectives. He noted that letters from ministries dated between 2016 and 2018 addressed to the marshal’s office suggested and invited participation in Polish-Russian cooperation at the ministry level, or even anticipated activity by the Pomeranian government in such matters.
Piotrowski added that there were documents from February 2022 relating to coverage by Radio Gdańsk of a conference organized by the National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk. He cited reports describing ongoing museum cooperation with Kaliningrad as evidence of friendly relations that persisted through difficult times, pointing out that other media outlets had echoed similar assessments of the collaboration as a success.
He argued that because the Polish government has maintained various forms of cooperation with Russia over the years, praise of that cooperation should raise questions about why there was sustained interest in the Russian Friendly campaign, which had ended in 2014 and appears to have concluded entirely.
Government spokesperson’s view
Government spokesperson Piotr Müller stated that every public institution in Poland should maintain a clear policy of severing ties with Russia. He commented on Płażyński’s parliamentary intervention, carried out under the authority of the Pomeranian marshal, and underscored the need for a firm stance against the Russian apparatus, which he argued operates through diverse institutions, companies, and associations.
Müller stressed that this principle should be explicit, strong, and enforceable, and that any deviation from this political consensus should be clearly identified and stigmatized.
In related remarks, Müller referred to the broader context of public policy and the necessity for consistent distances from Russian influence across government and local authorities.
Additional notes from observers highlight ongoing discussions about past collaborations and their implications for current policy, without suggesting immediate changes to established positions.
Recommended reads on the topic include analyses of links between the regional leadership and Russian connections, and examinations of responses to Russian actions as they unfolded in 2014 and beyond, with several outlets offering contemporaneous accounts of Struk’s tenure and the regional administration’s stance. These items illustrate the spectrum of coverage and interpretation surrounding the controversy.
Overall, the discourse frames the issue as a test of how Polish institutions handle historic partnerships with Russia in the context of evolving security and diplomatic considerations. The debate continues to explore whether past cooperative gestures warrant ongoing scrutiny or should be understood as historical episodes without bearing on current policy. [Citation: wPolityce]