Today in “Telekrytyka” we are having a chat with Major Waldemar Fydrych – the leader of the Polish artistic and political movement “Orange Alternative”.
- Hello everybody. It’s the first time that I will be chatting in a language other than Polish. I am ready to answer to your questions and I hope you are open to my questions to you.
- Whom did you vote for in the last Polish presidential elections and why?
- The situation in Poland is not easy. But as soon as I noticed that one of the liberal candidates is backed up by secret services, I chose Mr. Kaczyński as a lesser evil.
- Do you follow what is happening in Ukraine? Why do you think the Ukrainian Orange government was so far unable to create really public media? How the process of the public media creation goes on in Poland?
- One can safely say that in Poland there are no independent media. On another hand there are three public television stations. All media that reported on the national elections in Poland were manipulated. I observe what is happening in the Ukrainian media and still think that you have the chance to create a government of your dreams. But it will require the people to act rather than sit and stare in the TV.
- May one consider the Orange Revolution in Ukraine as a big artistic happening?
- I believe so.
- Here in Ukraine we believe in the myth of the independence of the Polish “Gazeta Wyborcza” daily – as defining the standards for our Ukrainian journalists. Please tell us why you are disappointed with this newspaper?
- I have never considered this daily as an independent media. That’s why one cannot say I am disappointed.
- I don’t want to be rude but you answered to my question in a too laconic way. Whom it is “Gazeta Wyborcza” dependent on and how it influences its printed contents?
- “Gazeta Wyborcza” presents a very “correct” thinking. If there are anti-government demonstrations, frequently it comments on them in a very sarcastic manner. During the last elections, this newspaper overtly supported the liberal candidate – Mr. Tusk. I think it has lost a number of readers just because of this open bias.
- Do you believe in effectiveness of the political happening? Can it really result in changes in a given political situation?
- I can believe in the effectiveness of the political happening insofar its participants are concerned. Its impact on the society will depend a lot on the actual information that spreads out.
- I have a question on the origin of the name of Orange Alternative.
- This name appeared already in 1981. But you can learn more from our website as well as directly by visiting our expositions that will take place beginning November in Kharkov, Donieck, Dniepropietrovsk, Lviv and Kyiv.
- Why the politics frequently go hand in hand with the art? In your opinion – the politics should be the search of what – peace or war?
- In the politics as in the art everything is conditioned by the reception of the audience. Functioning of the art in the politics makes sense only when it serves to clean this last one.
- What do you understand by the independence of the media? In Poland you already have the public media. Other thing is that they might be controlled by the power. But it would be interesting to hear from you more details on the debate on the public media in Poland.
- The discussion started after the corruption scandal in regards to the public media. This led in fact to the fall of the Miller government (a leftist SLD party leader - reminder).
- How would you like to meet your old age?
- This is a difficult question because myself I would not like to meet with the old age at all. But it approaches mercilessly. I can only say as the great spiritual masters put it – one must be in unity with the situation.
- Whom do you consider an effective politician in Ukraine?
- Of what I see all Ukrainian politicians are trying to be effective, but the example of the metallurgical concern privatization had shown that its recent biggest success is tied with Tymoshenko. However the next elections will show the true effectiveness of each of them.
- Were you a consultant to PORA during the last elections (student organization critically active in the Orange Revolution – reminder)?
- Not then – but now I have the opportunity to meet the PORA members as PORA supports the cycle of my expositions in Ukraine. Certainly PORA can count on having more importance but only if its members become more patient.
- What do you think of our President Yushchenko?
- He is a nice guy who found himself in a difficult situation. But his connecting the Presidential function with the party leadership I find a very difficult thing to do.
- How long one must prepare a political happening for it to be successful? Is it enough to just have an idea? How the best keep the people informed about the action? Please advise.
- The best is to keep a steady contact with the co-organizers, and the public. Then indicate a place for the next action, share the idea with its participants, well inform the public through internet, posters and leaflets. It’s important to intrigue the people and even to provoke them somewhat. But the most important – the idea behind the happening must be truly important; there must be a valuable message to the public; then to start the action and let the others to join in without censorship.
- Why the orange color? Was it you who proposed it for the Yushchenko campaign?
- The color is related to the fact that my friend wanted to edit a paper under the title “Orange Alternative” and he was really enchanted by the Dutch movement “Provo”, whose color was Orange. I did not propose the color to the Yushchenko campaigners. But it is not excluded that someone here knew about the Orange Alternative movement, but I know nothing specific of such inspirations.
- I would like to take part in the next actions of the Orange Alternative? How can I learn what you are planning? Can I count on your help?
- We can think about it. We can also do something in Ukraine. From which place do you come?
- Are you an anti-globalist?
- I can’t answer this question in a simple way.
- So?
- I see the future in bright colors, but as I opposed to the system of integration proposed by the communists, I do not want now the system of integration proposed by the big banks – this is also not good.
- After the Orange Revolution, President was our spiritual leader, but now the attitude of the nation toward him has changed for worse. Now Yulya Tymoshenko has taken the position of the leader. Don’t you think that paradoxically in our times there are too many political leaders, to many ideas yet no moral sense? If you don’t agree with me please give me examples of the people whom you consider as a moral and spiritual leader.
- Maybe such spiritual leaders are Dalai Lam and the Pope John-Paul II. I agree with you that President Yushchenko should remain a tough politician and don’t allow situations such as the one with his son. But we cannot unfortunately make sex operations on Ukrainian leaders and make Tymoshenko a man and Yushchenko a woman. But it would be good that they continue to cooperate with one another.
- Aren’t you disappointed by what happened with the Orange Revolution?
- All depends on the nation and not on the politicians. Now, the nation can do everything. For example it can create a new party. The people are now conscious that if something is not satisfying their expectations, they can walk out on Majdan Square. They can keep in contact with one another. Beginning of the problem should be sought not in the politicians but in oneself.
- Do you think Ukraine should push to enter the EU. Is it real to keep the balance between Europe and Russia?
- Such balancing would need a really good team of professionals. From one side you must remember about Russia’s interests, from another side - about those of the USA. Then there is another force – the European Union, which recently has been going through a crisis. Whether or not it’s worthy for Ukraine to enter EU, it will depend on Ukraine itself and on its own preferences. But certainly it is not worthy to enter the EURO zone. In all countries that accepted EURO, the common people lost money and until the European Bank is not reformed, it is not worthwhile to join the Euro.
- What do you think about Yulya Tymoshenko?
- Without any doubt she is the most beautiful politician in the world.
- Are you going to be a consultant to one of the sides in the next parliamentary elections in Ukraine? If so, whom will you support?
- So far nobody proposed it to me and myself I did not think about it so far.
- What political techniques have marked your attention during the last elections in Poland? What do you think is happening with the so to speak democratic elections in the world? Don’t you think this idea has gone bankrupt, becoming rather a parade of social political techniques?
- During the Polish elections the biggest role was played by black PR and I was told that the campaign of one of the leaders was directed by an ex-activist of the Orange Alternative. At some point he became too aggressive and it led to his candidate’s (Tusk’s) failure to win. This time in Poland, the idea of the democratic elections rather devaluated more than it went bankrupt.
- Do you think that a President has the right to connect his post of President with his leadership of the party?
- He has of course this right, but if he is interested in remaining an objective guardian of the law, clearly he should resign from the party leadership.
- Why do you think Poland has not yet a charismatic female politician like Tymoshenko?
- Because so far only one like her was born and it was here… – in Ukraine.
- Which happening is needed now in Ukraine? - and in Poland?
- I think only the dwarfs can save Ukraine and Poland now (dwarfs are a symbol of the Orange Alternative).
- Which film made recently the biggest impression on you?
- The “Pianist” by Roman Polański.
- Unfortunately we must end our meeting.
- Thank you for your questions and I invite you to our expositions in the five cities of Ukraine.
Copyright (c) 2004- La Papesse
