The Russian police are blocking the port in Świnoujście?

The German, allegedly civic initiative of Lebensraum Vorpommern, attempts to block the construction of a container terminal in Świnoujście. Among its members are persons associated with the highly pro-Russian leftist organization Die Linke, considered by the Germans as the pro-putin V column. Who truly fights against Polish investment?

Magda Grosz

The organisation from Germany Bürgerinitiative Lebensraum Vorpommern filed a complaint with the Provincial Administrative Court in Warsaw on an environmental decision concerning the construction of a deep water container terminal in Świnoujście, thus trying to block the construction. It besides requested that the decision of the Directorate-General for Environmental Protection be suspended immediately. According to the Activists, the administrative procedure was to “do not take adequate account of the environmental impact of investment on the German side”.

Let us remind that the fresh container terminal is worth more than PLN 10 billion. The port is intended to enable Poland to operate the largest transoceanic vessels.

Robert Smirnow, president of Seaconex, who operates in the maritime container industry, notes that the investment in Świnoujście is crucial for Poland's safety.

– It is worth noting that from this port is very close to the alleged NATO tip, the Vera advanced Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) – a fast consequence force, which is simply a key component of Russia's strategy of deterrence and which was created in 2014 in consequence to the then Russian aggression aimed at Ukraine," noted Robert Smirnow. – Without a uncertainty Germany will lose any of the transhipments in Hamburg or Bremerhaven. An effort to interfere with the Polish investment in Świnoujście can be supported or even straight inspired by Russia. This port isn't just a large business. This is primarily an global policy – he adds.

The entrepreneur besides draws attention to another country. As he emphasizes, the Chinese issue cannot be ignored erstwhile examining the subject. The Chinese already have a large part of the waterfront in Gdynia. – I remember how the docking of equipment ended
NATO-wski in Gdynia. In Hamburg port, the Chinese besides purchased almost half of the shares. On the strategical side, the port in Świnoujście is simply essential – he explains.

Senator Aleksander Szwed (PiS), vice-president of the Parliamentary Water Roads Team, stresses that "under the legend of environmental concerns there may be interests that do not necessarily service Poland".

– Although at first glance the protests of these organisations may seem in line with the thought of protecting the environment, in fact it may be about something more – interests that aim to slow down the improvement of our infrastructure. It seems that in specified situations, under the cloak of ecology, groups connected with abroad interests may operate, which do not favour the sovereignty of Poland and want to hinder our development. Therefore, it is worth paying peculiar attention to repeated attempts to block investments that can strengthen our position on the global market, says Senator Aleksander Szwed. – Blocking this investment is simply a clear action against the interests of Poland and our economical sovereignty. The port in Świnoujście is not only an infrastructure – it is an component of building a strong Poland, ready to compete with the biggest players. all delay, all protest, all effort at blocking serves 1 – keeping Poland as a state dependent on abroad ports, abroad interests and abroad decisions – notes the Senator.

They're protesting.

On the website of the citizens' initiative Lebensraum Vorpommern, which protestes against Polish investment, we find contact with 2 people. This is Christa Labouvie and Axel Kindler. Both had previously been active in another organization – BI Lebensraum Pommern and opposed gas extraction in Germany, among others. These actions were criticised by the Germans themselves, due to the fact that the usage of home deposits limits the import of gas from Russia.

Both of them besides ran in the past in local elections from the left-wing group Die Linke. It is this organization that actively supports both initiatives. Let us remind that Die Linke had problems with Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV) – German counterintelligence service. According to the media, in 2012, nearly 30 politicians of this organization were under reflection for political extremism. She besides supported another environmental groups worked by the BfV, against which prosecutors conducted respective 100 cases due to suspicion of promoting left-wing extremism.

Let us add that Christa Labouvie is simply a well-known activist – on the left-wing side of the organization referred to as “a companion”, in the local structures of the organization she held exposed positions. She was, among others, a board associate and spokesperson on migration, integration and the fight against racism.

In turn Kindler promoted himself as an independent mayor of the municipality on the island I will, but his career was beautiful short. He was removed from office as a consequence of a local referendum in which as many as 85 percent of the voters voted against him. Circumstances were rather controversial – according to media, he opposed the appeal of 1 of the directors suspected of serious financial embezzlement, insulted the inhabitants on social media and acted against resolutions taken by the municipality.

It is worth noting that another members of Die Linke organization – including Helmut Scholz, a postgraduate of the Moscow State Institute of global Relations (University) of the Ministry of abroad Affairs of the Russian Federation, besides participated in protests against Polish investments organised by the citizens' initiative Lebensraum Vorpommern. From 1983 to 1986, he was a diplomat at the embassy in China. From 2006 to 2007, he was on the board of Linkspartei.PDS, in 2007 became a associate of the board of Die Linke.

Let us add that the Lebensraum Vorpommern initiative besides included an account number on its website and asked for donations. Anyone who opposes Polish investment can support these "citizens".

Many articles have appeared on Russian websites concerning the dispute surrounding the construction of a terminal in Świnoujście. Russian media, however, present it as a conflict between Warsaw and Berlin, not Poland with activists associated with the pro-Russian organization Die Linke. According to the Russian media, this dispute "is dividing Poland and Germany", showing the weakness of the European Union.

Why is this V column

Die Linke was formed in 2007 after the merger of 2 groups – WASG (created from erstwhile members of the SDP-Zieloni coalition) and Die Linkspartei.PDS (was raised from Communist SED and then Democratic-Socialist PDS).

Among her demands were Germany's exit from NATO or legalization of heroin and cocaine. Germany itself has a problem with Die Linke – members of the group are opposed to German and American companies extracting oil and gas in Germany. Let us add that this can effectively reduce imports of these natural materials from Russia.

The organization does not have a proputin patch from today.

Die Linke called for a halt to arms supply to Ukraine, due to the fact that only specified a decision can, in her opinion, "speed up the end of the conflict". According to the politicians of this party, the U.S. and NATO are liable for the war in Ukraine. besides before the full-scale Russian invasion, Die Linke supported various Russian Federation's safety policy demands in Central and east Europe.

"The actions of Russia in Crimea and east Ukraine, which violate global law, brought a large number of Putin sympathizers to the phase in Germany. In the German Bundestag, this function is seemingly played by SED, whose name has been changed 4 times since 1989. Should it not be at the top of Putin’s critics, according to “left” standards? Their “putinism” knows the complex patterns of justification, and tells the communicative of at least partially failed democratization,” he wrote in his paper entitled “How Much “putinism” is on the left?” by Dr. Rudolf von Hullen, a political scientist and investigator of extremism, a lecturer at the University of Passau who emphasizes that through “putinism” he understands “the more crucial oligarchy of the KGB/FSB, whose most crucial figure is the President”. His work was published, among others, by the Hanns Seidel Foundation.

As an example of the pro-Russianism of the German left, he cited the speech that occurred in 2015 in the Bundestag. CDU MP Arnold Vaatz, erstwhile a associate of the fresh Forum in the civilian rights movement of the GDR, asked an indirect question to Wolfgang Gehrck of Hamburg, spokesperson for abroad policy of the Left Party. The subject of the House's deliberations was political developments in Ukraine. The message was: “Mr Gehrcke, I would like to ask you how dare you talk about democracy, since of course it is completely indifferent to the will of most people in the Baltic States, most people in Ukraine, most people in Moldova and most people in Georgia. Your speech is only about 1 thing: pave the way for Russia! I conclude that you are not at all the left-wing group in this parliament that you claim to be. They are nothing but a political arm of Russian expansionism. They're not lefties anymore either. Since the Russian government dropped its left-wing coat and acted in accordance with right-wing expansionist criteria, it has been blowing into its corner. They've lost all credibility in this country. You were always on the side of Russian aggression: you were on the side of Russian aggression erstwhile it came to Czechoslovakia in 1968, and present you are on the side of Russian aggression erstwhile it comes to Ukraine."

Let us add that without any doubt, it is the activists and politicians Die Linke who are behind the effort to halt the construction of the container terminal in Świnoujście.

According to Senator Alexander Swede, at the minute on the European stage, various groups acting seemingly for environmental protection can service as unofficial lobbyists who actually advance the interests of different countries.

– specified action in an global context can lead to a situation where ecology becomes a pretext for achieving political and economical objectives that are not always beneficial to our homeland. It is worth monitoring these organisations in this context due to the fact that their actions may affect our safety and economical development. It is besides worth asking yourself how these organisations are financed," adds Aleksander Szwed.