Warsaw discouraged Vilnius with the intention to use the image of the sights of the Lithuanian capital - the Holy Gates (Sharp Brama, Gate Ausros) - on Polish passports. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius announced that the Polish authorities should not do this.
"It is abnormal when using photographs of other countries, especially knowing that in our history there were different pages. As for Vilnius, the fate of this region, it is even more painful. Therefore, you need to consider these circumstances, "- leads his words portal Delfi.
He expressed the hope that in the Polish passports there will be no images of the Holy Gates.
It is reported that the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the Charge d'Affaires of Poland in Vilnius, who was "explained the situation" and "warned that this should not be".
"Let's see how things will develop further, but we see that the Polish media write about this as well. This is due not only to Vilnius, but also to Ukraine. As far as we know, the position of Ukrainians is similar. We will follow the development of events, we have already informed our attitude and assessment of the Poles, "added Linkevicius.
Previously, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Poland launched a vote on the Internet by posting on the specially created portal Zaprojektujpaszport 13 images of a future passport, along with prominent Polish historical figures there is the Sharp Brama and the Eagle Memorial in Lviv. The latter is dedicated to Polish teenagers who fell during the Polish-Ukrainian war of 1918-1919. New documents will be printed in 2018. , Timed the event to the 100th anniversary of Poland's independence.
To date, the voting is still led by the Vilnius symbol - more than 55 thousand. human. In second place, the priest Ignacy Scorupka (more than 40 thousand. Votes) - a participant in the battle with the Bolsheviks near Ossuvo near Volomin, which was part of the Warsaw battle in the summer of 1920. It is also called "Miracle over the Vistula". Then the Red Army retreated, and Poland gained independence.
As the newspaper "Vzglyad" notes, the Poles have serious reasons for using the image of the Sharp Brahma on passports, the main reason is in the miraculous icon of the Mother of God located on the Holy Gates. This icon for the citizens of Poland is almost the main national shrine.
However, it is by no means a fact that Warsaw is guided exclusively by religious considerations and has no other motives that disturb the Lithuanians.
Recall that Vilnius was a significant part of its history in various forms and was part of Poland, and the present state belonged to the city in 1939. At the behest of the USSR and personally Comrade Stalin.