According to 93 percent of Poles, Monday’s visit by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to Warsaw will have a positive bearing on relations between the two countries.
A poll by the Homo Homini Institute for Polish Radio reveals that 20 percent of those who express such an opinion expect that the impact of the presiential visit will be very positive.
Asked whether the visit is likely to bring about a change in Polish-Russian relations, 62 percent of respondents gave a ‘yes’ answer, whereas 28 percent of Poles do not expect any change in the wake of Medvedev’s visit, the first by a Russian President to Poland in eight years.
In the same survey, Poles were asked about the neighbouring nations that are viewed with the greatest sympathy. The citizens of the Czech Republic come first – with 39 percent, followed by Slovaks, Germans, Lithuanians, Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Donald Tusk (pictured left) has said that Russian President Medvedev’s visit to Poland reflects the current improvement in Polish-Russian relations.
Talking to journalists in Sopot on the Baltic coast, he said that “talks are always better than silence or an insipid conflict.” It is a good thing, he added, that Poland and Russia can talk despite different interests and sometimes divergent views.
Asked about a public hearing this week in the European Parliament relating to the Smolensk air crash, Mr Tusk said it is difficult to predict whether it could help in the on-going investigation into the causes of the tragedy. He went on to stress, however, that “the more transparency the better.”
PM Tusk said he was happy that the families of the victims of the crash of the Polish presidential plane are getting more information from the prosecutor’s office. Mr Tusk himself will have another meeting with the families next Saturday. (mk/jb)
Related stories:
Plans revealed for Medvedev visit, Monday , thenews.pl 4 Dec
Russia hands over Katyn files ahead of Medvedev visit , thenews.pl 3 Dec
Fostering Polish-Russian relations , polishradio.pl 3 Dec
Government to go ahead with Polish-Russian centre , thenews.pl 30 Nov
Russian parliament recognises Stalin’s crimes in Katyn , thenews.pl 26 Nov
Polish opinion drafted on Russian Smolensk report , thenews.pl 26 Nov
Don’t expect miracles from Medvedev visit, says Komorowski , thenews.pl 25 Nov