Thank you, Mr. Sidhu.
Dr. Pankowski, yesterday marked the 15th anniversary of the EU's largest single enlargement, the historic accession of former Soviet republics in countries of the former eastern bloc. The same day, far-right nationalists running in the upcoming EU parliamentary elections held an anti-EU sovereignty march through the streets of Warsaw. There were chants of “This is Poland, not Polin”, the Hebrew term for Poland.
For additional context, one of the largest independence day events in Poland is the annual march in Warsaw. It's organized by an alliance of far-right radical nationalist groups. In 2017 they had banners and slogans such as “white Europe of brotherly nations”, chants of “pure Poland”, “white Poland”and “refugees get out”. In 2018, the mayor of Warsaw tried to ban the march to no avail, partially because the organizers and the government coordinated a joint initiative for Poland's centennial of regaining independence. The symbols of radical nationalist groups that organized the event were prominent. Italian neo-fascist group Forza Nuova was also there, among other far-right visitors from around Europe.
Poland's independence day is meant to be a patriotic event. How do the lines between patriotism, nationalism and racism become blurred and then erased in Poland?