Materials&Documents
May 2009
Statements, addresses, speeches
TV address by Senate speaker Bogdan Borusewicz to Poles abroad, May 1, 2009. 1
Address by President Lech Kaczynski on May 3rd Constitution anniversary, May 3, 2009. 2
Lecture by president Lech Kaczynski on EU Parliament, May 6, 2009. 2
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk meets Vice-President of the European Commission Guenter Verheugen, 8 May 2009 2
Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski encourages Poles to vote in European Parliament elections, 12 May 2009 2
President Lech Kaczynski’s letters to Ukrainian leaders. 2
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk meets Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, 14 May 2009 2
President Lech Kaczynski addresses conference on Poland's coming out of communism, 21 May, 2009 2
Poland's President Lech Kaczynski addresses the Sejm, 22 May 2009. 2
Statement by Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski on CDU/CSU appeal, May 26, 2009. 2
Remarks by Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski at opening of exhibition in Berlin, May 26, 2009. 2
Address by Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski, May 28, 2009. 2
Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski on Poland’s economy, 29 May 2009 2
On May 1, 2009 Senate speaker Bogdan Borusewicz delivered a televised message to Poles living abroad in connection with the annual Day of Polish Diaspora observed on May 2. He said the following:
May 2 is the Day of Polish Diaspora. It was established on the initiative of the Senate 8 years ago in recognition of the contribution of Poles living abroad to Poland’s regained independence. On the eve of this year’s Day I address these words to all the 20 million Poles scattered around the world.
The year 2009 is special because 20 years ago we began to build a free and democratic Poland whose foundations were laid down by Poles living both at home and abroad. Our efforts resulted in the first free elections in this part of Europe held after the second world war. They were elections to the Polish Senate which declared the year 2009 the Polish Democracy Year.
In this Polish Democracy Year we owe special thanks to Polish political emigrants who maintained the continuity of free and independent Polish state. Building of a free Poland (after 1989) would be much more difficult if not for the expatriate Poles and their legacy. My thanks also go to Poles who, due to the twists of history, found themselves living beyond our eastern borders but preserved their Polish identity despite the high cost this involved. They preserved their mother tongue, Polish culture and love of freedom. I thank them for sharing these values (with fellow-citizens) and thus enriching their countries of residence.
Every year we celebrate the Day of Polish Diaspora in another foreign country. We want Poles living abroad to feel support from the mother country and that we remember them. This year the main foreign celebrations were held in St. Petersburg which has the largest Polish community of all Russian cities. Two years ago the Polish Centre opened in the city, while last year it hosted celebrations of the 20th anniversary of setting up the Polonia Association. The celebrations attracted delegates from over 40 Polish community organisations active in the region between St.Petersburg and Irkutsk. We celebrated the Day of the Polish Diaspora this year together with Poles living in Scandinavia. Poles scattered around the world, including those from Russia, should feel that Poland cares for them and this care is a lasting element of state policies.
We will continue our support for Poles living in Belarus. The fact that the latest congress of the Union of Poles in Belarus was held without problems gives hope for a further improvement in their situation.
The Day of the Polish Diaspora fosters the sense of community, strengthens national identity and is an occasion for meetings. I am confident that expatriate Poles will meet also without special occasions, will be integrate and offer mutual support. I want them to work for the benefit of their new home countries and to advance to local elites.
We get satisfaction from successes achieved by Poles living abroad, from their growing self-esteem and their contributions to Poland’s international prestige.
I wish all Poles living abroad all the best and happiness in life.
In his speech during main ceremonies marking the 218th anniversary of the May 3rd (1791) Constitution, president Lech Kaczynski said that it had been the very first European constitution. We can and should be proud of this fact, he added.
The Constitution was the product of the Four-Year Sejm (parliament) but also „the crowning of attempts at mending the Polish state began 30 years earlier,” Kaczynski noted.
„May 3rd, 1791 was a great victory for those who wanted a strong Poland”. The Constitution introduced hereditary monarchy, government accountable before parliament and „many institutions that helped the state function efficiently.”
However, the Constitution also had enemies „who (allegedly) fought in the name of democracy. They spoke about democracy and alleged threats to it and did not hesitate to ask foreign powers for help,” the president pointed out.
„They claimed they were defending the existing system of government but in reality they defended their own privileges,” he added.
Referring to developments of 1791, the president recalled that quite recently „there was again talk in Poland about an alleged threat to democracy.” It so happened that the Poles „came to believe that democracy was indeed under threat. It was not even for one second. Under threat were the privileges of people acting for their private interests, not in the interests of Poland,” he declared.
Speaking about the binding Polish constitution adopted in 1997, Kaczynski stressed it was the supreme source of the law in Poland. „This constitution is so important because we live in a uniting Europe. Just three days ago we celebrated the 5th anniversary of Poland’s accession to the EU. The EU is a common success of its member states. Membership of the EU is our Polish success. However, in these circumstances the role played by the Polish constitution is special because it is the supreme law of the country,” the president said.
Poland needs efforts to ameliorate the state so that it protects the weak and is not afraid of the mighty because all are equal before the law, both billionaires and those who have nothing, like the majority of Poles, the president noted.
On the day that commemorates what we may call the Day of Mending the Republic I want to declare that I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Polish state is strong, can protect the weaker, offers equal treatment to all its citizens, and that honesty and decency win against cynical attitudes and swindles, Kaczynski stated.
Lecture by president Lech Kaczynski on EU Parliament, May 6, 2009
President Lech Kaczynski delivered a lecture to secondary school students in Pulawy on May 6, 2009 devoted in a large part to the history, functioning and importance of the European Parliament.
He recalled that the EP was established over half a century ago and at first was just a consultative body but gradually gained in importance.
„If the Lisbon Treaty comes into force, which is difficult to predict but Poland will certainly not stand in the way, I can tell you that the EP will assume an even grater importance,” the president said.
He pointed out that some 70 percent of laws passed by national parliaments must conform to the legislation first adopted by the EP.
The president called on the students to encourage their colleagues, parents and grandparents to attend the forthcoming elections to the EP. „We will elect a body whose importance is (real) not just symbolic. We must show Europe that Poland takes interest in Europe and the main premise will be our participation in the EP elections,” Kaczynski declared.
He added he realised that young Poles could be turned off by the „toughness of our domestic political struggle” but insisted that „conflicts are inseparable from democratic politics” and that „disputes are the essence of democracy.”
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk attends Eastern Partnership summit in Prague, 7 May 2009
Prime Minister Donald Tusk attended the 1st summit of the Easter Partnership in Prague. The summit, with prime ministers and presidents of EU member states and six eastern partners in attendance, officially inaugurated the Polish-Swedish initiative.
This is the day of Poland’s success in the European Union, the day in which the whole European Union passed the Polish initiative. Something, that still a year ago was only a proposal, was only part of the conclusions of the European Union, today is an official project of the whole European Union and six partner countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. One of the assumptions of the initiative is a free trade zone and liberalization of visa regulations. Minister Sikorski stressed that the Eastern Partnership will find a practical expression in projects of the European Commission in the coming months. European Council has allocated 600 million euros for the Eastern Partnership project by 2013, and the programme will be further developed in the next financial perspective, minister Sikorski stressed.
This programme is good for EU, but is also consistent with long-term interests of Poland’s foreign policy, especially with eastern policy, Poland’s foreign minister stressed.
Preparations for the climatic conference in Copenhagen, Lisbon Strategy and the global economic crisis were the main topics of discussions between Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Vice-President of the European Commission, responsible for enterprise and industry Guenter Verheugen. The two politicians stressed that EU's position on the decision on financing climate protection should involve a reasonable compromise.
During the meeting also discussed were issues relating to the Lisbon Strategy. The two politicians were agreed that there is a need to stick to its fundamental assumptions. Prime Minister Donald Tusk stressed that the strategy is important for Poland, in particular in the area of the coherence policy. - We should stick to the long-term goals, among them important are structural reforms, so that the EU is competitive. In this connection, Poland's voice will have a decisive importance, Verheugen stressed.
Another topic of discussions was the global economic crisis. Poland's Prime Minister expressed the conviction that his personal view that it is not capitalism and free market but the infringement of free market economy principles that is the source of the present crisis, will find objective confirmation in few years’ time.
Speaking about European Commission’s economic prognoses for Poland, Tusk said that they are too pessimistic. "They are too pessimistic, but I prefer to have pessimistic prognoses and an optimists end of the year,” the prime minister said. Tusk stressed that his government focused on the budget discipline and resisted the temptation of getting the state into debt.
"Regardless of whose prognoses are correct, we will not change the guidelines of our activities. I am sure that we will be able to stay on the chosen course, regardless of the prognoses for the second half of the year,” Tusk stressed. He added that Poland has good information on the jobless rate which declined by 0.2 percent month-on-month in April. This decline took place in all Poland's provinces, Tusk said.
President Lech Kaczynski visited Sandomierz and Tarnobrzeg on May 12 and encouraged their citizens to vote in European Parliament elections on June 7 and to support the candidates who will represent "our interests, the interests of our country" there.
Candidates for the EP seats can have right-wing or left-wing views but Poland should be their chief point of reference, Kaczynski stressed.
"We need people who always think of themselves as Poles, this is their main identity," he said at a rally in Sandomierz's old town market square.
The importance of the EP in EU realities is steadily growing, president Kaczynski told the citizens of Tarnobrzeg. "At first the EP had only marginal importance, then it grew, and now it will have considerable importance. Therefore it makes sense to go to the polls," he argued.
During a meeting with Solidarity trade unionists in Sandomierz the president said he hoped that government's policy on the crisis could be changed into more active.
"The principle of restrictive financial policy was adopted in Poland, it arouses questions and I will ask these questions. I will ask them on behalf of the trade union which gives protection to a big part of workers. I will ask these questions as this is the president's duty, regardless of where he comes from, but it is a particular duty of the president who comes from the Solidarity union,” Lech Kaczynski said.
"I am the supporter of this fight (with the crisis and unemployment) and I will do my utmost for this fight to be conducted. I hope that the government's policy could be changed into more active," Lech Kaczynski said.
The president said that the present crisis poses a threat to Poland, and expressed the hope that political summits which he had organized and dialogue between the authorities and workers which he had tried to strengthen, will give effects.
He called on unionists to support his actions. "I would like the same loyalty from you that I have for the trade union. Because I would like to participated in getting Poland of the crisis," Lech Kaczynski said.
The president recalled that he took part in the formation of the Soldarity trade union and is the author of a part of the union's statutes. Today Solidarity has other problems, it does not fight with the system any longer, but for the rights of workers.
"Today Solidarity has a big task of supporting those who want to actively fight the crisis," the president said.
In letters addressed to president Viktor Yushchenko and prime minister Yulya Timoshenko and published May 12, 2009, president Lech Kaczynski asked them for help and intervention on behalf of the Gdansk Shipyard.
The yard is owned by ISD Polska, a subsidiary of Ukrainian Donbas concern which bought it in late 2007.
„The Gdansk Shipyard was the cradle of Solidarity union, the place where the August, 1980 Agreements were signed. It was there that the wave of changes started which led to the liberation and independence of the whole region of East and Central Europe in the years 1989-1991,” the president wrote in his letters.
He added he was convinced that in a situation when „many EU governments create programmes of assistance to their national shipyard industries” the EU Commission would ease its position regarding state aid for the Gdansk yard.
„In my talks with European leaders I have insisted on the need for continued operation of the Gdansk shipyard with a view to protecting jobs during recession,” Kaczynski wrote.
He asked president Yushchenko and prime minister Timoshenko „to intervene and assure the investor that given good will of all the parties concerned the Gdansk Shipyard will survive the present crisis. Any layoffs could worsen the already critical situation of the yard,” the president noted.
Bilateral political and economic cooperation, energy issues and the process of negotiation of Turkey's accession to the European Union were the main topics of discussion between Poland's and Turkey's Prime Ministers Donald Tusk and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This was the first official visit of the Turkish prime minister to Poland since 1923.
The visit of Prime Minister Erdogan underlines the traditional friendship between the nations and states and also many-century cooperation, Poland's Prime Minister stressed.
The prime ministers signed a "Polish-Turkish strategic partnership" declaration. The declaration foresees that the two countries carry out political dialogue on global, Euroatlantic and regional issues and support the policy of strengthening energy cooperation and fight with the effects of climatic changes.
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said that Poland will consistently participate in the process of Turkey's negotiation and integration with the EU.
"We both deeply believe in a quick and good end of the process of Turkish accession to the European Union," Tusk said. He expressed the hope that the year 2011, when Poland will hold the presidency of the European Union, will mark acceleration of this process. The Turkish PM thanked Poland for supporting Turkey on its road to the European Union.
A large part of the meeting was devoted to energy issues and cooperation in the Nabucco project. The politicians also spoke about the interest of Turkish investors and contractors in infrastructural undertakings in Poland. The Turks are present at one of the key infrastructural investments, the Warsaw underground construction.
Also discussed was Polish-Turkish cooperation as part of NATO and mutual facilitations of the visa regime.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan stressed that Poland and Turkey have very good relations on the political, military and trade plane. He pointed to the need to increase trade exchange between Poland and Turkey, which was at USD 3.5 billion at the end of 2008. He expressed the hope that the trade balance between Poland and Turkey will stand at USD 5 billion by 2013. Turkish contractors are interested in participating in building Poland's infrastructure for the Euro 2012 soccer championship. The Turkish prime minister also said that Turkey is very much interested in the Nabucco project.
The Solidarity movement in 1980-81 marked a peak of a revolutionary wave, in an ideological dimension unknown in Poland from the years before the January Uprising in 1863, President Lech Kaczynski said addressing the conference on "Poland's coming out of communism - the 20th anniversary of the June 1989 election."
"On the other hand it was a big organisational undertaking, regardless of its spontaneity. (...) A relatively efficiently working, many-million member organisation was formed," Kaczynski stressed.
The president recalled that Solidarity with its around 10 million members was a movement of unprecedented size.
The Solidarity government led by PM Tadeusz Mazowiecki, which was formed after June 4, was a compromise with some ministries, including the defence and interior minister, remaining in the hands of communist. "I do not consider this to be a mistake today (...) We did not have a clear view about the situation in the Soviet Union and the degree of its disintegration then," the president said.
Kaczynski denied there had been any secret agreement with communists concluded during Round Table talks.
The president's address was preceded by speeches concerning the 20th anniversary of the June 4 election by Sejm Speaker Bronislaw Komorowski and Senate Speaker Bogdan Borusewicz as well as historians Andrzej Friszke and Andrzej Paczkowski.
President Lech Kaczynski declared in his Sejm address that he was ready to cooperate with the government in creating a "good, comprehensive anti-crisis plan." He called on the government to provide honest information on the economic situation and on actions intended to ease the crisis.
He suggested reducing the VAT rate to 18-19 pc from 22 pc and easing the income tax burden for low pension earners. He also warned against the euro adoption in times of crisis.
The president began his address from complaining that people and institutions responsible for Poland's economic development seemed to underestimate the seriousness of the situation brought about by the global crisis. He asked "why has it taken so long to work out an anti-crisis package."
"The whole world is undergoing a financial and economic crisis in unprecedented dimensions in decades. Regardless of its further course, it is obvious that we are facing a period of a strong slow-down or halting of economic growth," Kaczynski said.
"It is time to ask a fundamental question about the condition of the economy and ways to address the crisis. We need a state which sets clear rules and monitors the observance of the rules in this difficult time we are going through," the president said.
The president stressed that the government bears main responsibility for the economic and financial policy. "I am asking what the government intends to do in the face of the crisis," he said.
"Objective data about Poland's economy arouse concern, (...) domestic investments are declining, unemployment is growing, " the president said.
The world crisis has shaken the Polish financial system, the president claimed. He called on the government not to continue the "mechanical budget spending cuts reduction, inconsistent with the binding budget law."
Practically all West European countries, also the United States "have been trying to boost development processes for many months by stimulating investment and consumption demand. But the Polish government does as if the opposite. Such policy leads slows down the Polish economy," Kaczynski said.
The condition of the state budget and public finances is particularly disquieting and unclear, the president said.
"Budget implementation has been failing since 2008. Serious problems with the financing of basic state task appeared at that time," he said.
The president stressed that the budget deficit, at 15 billion 340 million zlotys after four months of the year, accounts for 84.3 percent of the full year target. "How is the government going to fill this gap?" Kaczynski asked.
"In 2008 we absorbed 15 billion 100 million zlotys in EU funds, against the planned 35 billion 300 million zlotys. We failed to absorb 20 billion zlotys in non-returnable EU funds," he said.
Poland failed to absorb 20 billion zlotys in EU funds in 2008, the president said.
Poland's budget will need to be amended in the nearest future, the president said.
The later the budget law is amended, "the bigger additional, unnecessary consequences for citizens, self-government and enterprises," he warned.
Euro adoption during the crisis would be "very risky," he stressed. Poland's euro adoption is not a panacea for problems brought about by the crisis, President Lech Kaczynski told the Sejm.
"It is good that the Finance Minister admitted that the path of fast euro adoption is unrealistic. This was obvious from the very beginning," L. Kaczynski said.
"Is there a sense in resigning so fast from our national currency which enables us to carry out an independent monetary policy?" the president asked.
Lech Kaczynski admitted that the crisis had negatively affected the zloty exchange rate but, he stressed, the zloty helps Polish exporters.
"A new quality of cooperation is needed, actions cushioning the effects of the crisis, protecting the groups which will be in the most difficult situation," the president said.
"The crisis is an ordeal we have to face, combining forces and ideas. We need solidarity in this difficult time," he added.
The president declared "readiness to cooperate in creating a good, comprehensive anti-crisis plan."
Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski said that the call issued by the German CDU and CSU parties urging „an international condemnation of expulsions” was „unfortunate”. He added, however, that the document published by the two parties was an element of the German election campaign before elections to the EP scheduled for June 7.
„During this campaign each party tries to address specific social groups in ways expected to win them over. This is how I interpret the unfortunate statement contained in the document,” Komorowski told a press conference in Berlin where he opened an exhibition in the Bundestag building and devoted to the fall of communism in Poland.
„So this is an election issue and will die a natural death as soon as June 8. It is pointless to fight plain campaign abuses. On the other hand, thorny issues should be tackled in talks between Poland and Germany,” the Sejm speaker opined.
„Statements that hardly serve good Polish-German relations can be heard not only in Germany, but in Poland as well,” he added.
Being „the son of expellees from the Vilnius region” himself he „would be interested in summing up” the expulsions in an international plane, Komorowski said.
„However, due to the magnitude of phenomena that resulted from the second world war for which Germany is responsible such actions are risky. Any attempt at raising this issue before the international public opinion may prove uncontrollable and be like a Pandora’s box,” the Sejm speaker pointed out.
One can imagine that similar postulates could be formulated by Poles who were born in former Polish eastern provinces vis a vis Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania or Estonia. „The question is: what would be the point of this ?,” Komorowski asked.
In his opinion, next to Germany which started the war, the dramatic consequences of world war two, like expulsions, should be dealt with also by the countries of settlement of the expellees.
„Poland has largely met its obligations towards Poles resettled from its former eastern provinces and I would expect Germany to react and take responsibility for the claims of its own citizens arising out of the tragedies they suffered as a result of world war two,” Komorowski declared.
Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski and Bundestag president Norbert Lammert opened the „Peaceful Revolution - Road to Freedom: 20th anniversary of systemic changes in Poland” exhibition in the German parliament in Berlin on May 26, 2009.
„The history of the past 20 years should be highlighted not only by showing its dramatic moments, blood, tragedies and struggle, but also by showing the effects of the 20 years,” said Komorowski during the opening ceremony.
He referred to the fact that 20 years ago walls crumbled not only in Poland, but also in Germany and said: „I would like the element of common Polish-German fates to be highlighted not only in connection with the current 20th anniversary of the fall of communism, but also in future,” Komorowski added.
Norbert Lammert said the exhibition was very important for the Germans because it presented often forgotten facts that led to the peaceful revolution in the former GDR, the crushing of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany.
„We should emphasise interrelations between various facts showing that changes that took place in Europe did not occur by accident, they were achieved in struggle,” Lammert said. „Poland made a very important contribution to those changes already ten years before the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
„We, the Germans, want the Polish contribution to the victory of democracy and freedom in Europe to be remembered,” declared the Bundestag president.
Referring to the German exhibition on the fall of the Berlin Wall to be opened in the Polish Sejm in November and to other initiatives, Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski noted that „our two parliaments have drawn up a wise plan of symbolic demonstration of the community of Polish-German fates including also their good and beautiful moments. There is no denying that the history of relations between the two nations has a tragic and terrible legacy. It is high time, however, to highlight, emphasise, demonstrate and relive together everything that was beautiful and good in the community of Polish and German fates as well as in the history of the entire central and eastern Europe,” Komorowski stressed.
Changes in social mentality were among the most important effects of Poland’s participation in the process of European integration, Sejm speaker Bronislaw Komorowski said at a meting with university students in Kielce on May 28, 2009, held as part of the election campaign to the European Parliament.
„As a nation we have to cope with a major problem of eastern mentality that we inherited from history (..) but we also have a great chance for eliminating or at least reducing these differences thanks to our membership of the EU,” Komorowski argued.
The increasingly integrated western world „can give the sense of security to Poland,” he said. „We should integrate, be part of this joint project so that we are not afraid of our neighbours.” He pointed out that Poland had on several occasions persuaded its EU partners to take a joint position on issues such as the „orange revolution” in Ukraine, the Russian-Georgian conflict and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict over natural gas deliveries.
Komorowski stressed the fact that no Polish political party campaigning before the EP elections voiced opposition to the country’s EU membership.
„Let us not be afraid. Integration and the better organised western world is something that Poland had aspired to for centuries and has finally achieved,” the Sejm speaker declared.
„It is in the Polish national interest to rebuild the good image of a country committed to further advances of the European integration. It is therefore important that voter turnout is high in these elections,” Komorowski stressed. A high turnout will show Europe that the Poles „are strongly committed to the EU and European integration.”
A high turnout may also help Polish candidates for high posts in the EP and other EU bodies, the Sejm speaker noted.
The 0.8 pc growth of the Polish economy in the first quarter of this year is record high in comparison with results posted by other EU countries, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
He added that Cyprus, Greece and Poland were the only European countries that recorded GDP increases on the first quarter of 2008.
The Poles passed this first test in crisis better than anyone else in Europe, Tusk noted.
"I am glad that facts and hard data can finally speak for themselves on Poland's economic and financial situation rather than politicians," the PM told a press conference.
"These are the first data on Poland's condition during the crisis (..)," he said. They inspire hope and optimism, but the coming months can be difficult, Tusk admitted.
Finance minister Jacek Rostowski told the same press conference that GDP results attested to the correctness of government policy. "(..) our responsible policy refused to inconsiderately increase the budget deficit (..) and proved right," he said.
The good 1st quarter GDP figure was the result of twenty years of building a solid economy in Poland, Rostowski declared. He said the Polish economy was exceptionally resistant to crisis but admitted that the 1st quarter growth would not necessarily be followed by a clear upturn.
"We face very difficult months because of what is going on around Poland (..) The GDP fell almost 10 pc in Russia, almost 7 pc in Germany, Ukraine suffered a massive downturn, declines affected also the Czech Republic and all our neighbours," he noted.
