Anti-roads protest at Ministry of Finance

On Thursday, 21st February, activists from several environmental
groups held a protest at the Ministry of Finance’s recent decision to
cut public spending in sectors such as health care, education and
public transport, whilst increasing the budget for building new
roads. Members of Warsaw’s Green Federation staged a street theatre
performance in which they satirized an old communist propaganda
campaign, The Whole Nation Builds Its Capital, and changed it
into The Whole Nation Builds Its Highways.

The original
campaign sought to convince the population that there was no problem
with pouring money into Warsaw at the expense of other regions, whilst
the new version showed enthusiastic nurses, teachers, farmers and
students queueing up to sign over their overtime money, subsidies and
grants to the great road-building project. A 'spontaneous show of
support’ was also present, with enthusiastic chanting of pro-highways
slogans such as
’Asphalt heals! Asphalt educates!’ and ’New bridges –
solution for the homeless!’

It also showed that once the road was
built, the only ones who benefited were the businessmen who could now
transport their goods around quickly and cheaply (subsidised by the
public purse), and the politicians who had reaped rewards for helping
their business friends to realise their scheme.

The demonstration also included the handing over of a petition and
some large banners, and was successful in gaining media coverage from
newpapers and television.