Kremlin blacklisted me as I tried to push Russia closer to Poland - Senate Speaker Borusewicz


Belsat TV journalists have asked Bogdan Borusewicz, Speaker of the Polish Senate, why Russia conceived a dislike for him and what response the European Union is preparing to the Kremlin’s hostile move.

In your opinion, why was your name put on Russia’s black list. What threat do you pose for the Kremlin?

I am sure that they blackbooked me because I had been working for many years for the sake of Poland and Russia coming closer together. My Russian colleague and I organized the Forum of Regions which was attended by heads of the Russian regions. We had very good contacts with Russian MPs, 10 percent of senators were members of the Polish-Russian group, which became disadvantageous for Russia. And it was necessary to show Poland as a hostile country. It is very difficult to find a criterion that was used in drawing the list, it is very irregular. I think the local ambassador’s likes or dislikes might have been the criteria. But I was not surprised with the situation, because I had been barred from attening the funeral of Boris Nemtsov before. I believe they started to make this list long ago. We disapprove of the fact that the Russian authorities and Putin are doing in Ukraine and their violations of human rights law.

How can Poland and the European Union respond? Once again we have witnessed another very hostile move Russia made against the West.

As for Poland, the reaction has ensued: the Russian ambassador was summoned and a note was handed to him. At the moment I am not able to take any further measures. But I believe that this list and its content will be of value in discussions about sanctions, which will be held in June. To lift sanctions or extend them? Poland’s stance is clear: sanctions must remain as long as Russian aggression continues in Ukraine.

The Kremlin is indignant at Brussels’ reaction on the black list. They say that the Russia’s sanctions is the answer to what had previously been made by Brussels. The EU initiated the policy of sanctions. Why do we recognise the reasonableness of the sanctions imposed by the EU, but say that those inposed by Russia are absurdal?

It is not the European Union that attacked another country, not the EU that attacked Ukraine. The European Union has never attacked Russia. It is the Russian Federation who attacks and alters boundaries by force. The case is clear: if someone violates international law – it should face the consequences of such steps. But Russia will never gain anything by throwing this list onto the table. Such acts will not be of help in convincing the leadership of pro-sanctions countries to lift them.

The critics of the sanctions policy have repeatedly stressed that they are not efficient. The sanctions only made the Kremlin angry, and Russia is still becoming more aggressive, they say. Is the sanctions policy really able to have any influence on Russia? 

These sanctions have hit Russia, and it is evident that the blow was heavy. The sanctions do have an impact on the Russian economy: prices soar, the ruble depreciates. All this is hitting the pockets of the Russian authorities, which has triggered the nervous reaction and the black list. But it is the only instrument that the EU has to respond to Moscow’s actions. However, I want to stress that the sanctions are still not painful enough. If Russia goes on, they will be toughened. Russia is not able to develop when isolated from the world. And it is clear.

Can Russia’s blacklist do any ill service to western politicians? Will you be restricted in some way?

No, I am out of the Russian authorities’ zone of influence. It does not matter to me. But it hits Russia itself.

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