Poland celebrated the 107th anniversary of regaining independency with speeches by president Karol Nawrocki and the leader of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) Jarosław Kaczyński, who utilized this chance to address the state. In their speeches, they stressed the importance of protecting democracy, the regulation of law and national sovereignty, while addressing the historical struggles of Poland and the political challenges it faces today.
In his speech, president Nawrocki spoke about the "great responsibility" that lies on Poles today.
We know that in the 20th century Poland was independent and sovereign only for 31 years, and for 69 years it was either under partitions or a russian colony after 1945. What are we going to do for Polish freedom and sovereignty in the 21st century? Will this be the age in which we will stay free and independent for a 100 years?
According to the President, on 11 November it was "a large vacation established by generations and fathers of independency – various people who wanted the same". He stressed that the interwar generation "has never given up freedom and independence".
Reflecting on Poland's thousand-year history, he asked:
Where is our national identity today? Where are the Christian values that laid the foundations of the Polish state? Why do we gotta face the pressures of abroad ideologies present that are trying to dispel these values from schools and education?
President Nawrocki argued that specified “foreign ideologies ” and Western patterns do not represent Polish values. He declared that as president he would not let Poland to become a “papuga among nations” again, thinkinglessly repeating everything that came from the West. Recognising Poland's membership of the European Union, he stressed that its own interests – and its citizens – must always be first.
The head of state besides raised the issue of economical improvement and public responsibility. He stressed that citizens "do not want political theatre", but access to wellness care, affordable energy and a unchangeable economy. He warned that wasting public funds and putting a spectacle over substance could jeopardise the freedom and sovereignty of the country.
Meanwhile, in Warsaw, about 200,000 people joined the yearly March of independency , a mass patriotic demonstration organized by right-wing political forces.
Earlier that day, PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński laid flowers at the monument of Marshal Józef Piłsudski in Warsaw. In his speech he besides referred to the current political situation in Poland, stressing that the anniversary should besides be an chance to reflect on independence, democracy and the regulation of law.
J. Kaczyński warned against a "serious crisis" threatening these values, arguing that democracy and the regulation of law are seriously threatened in the face of "great plans to transform Europe into large powers".
The reconstruction of Polish democracy and the regulation of law is simply a large task, due to the fact that present the executive power, or 1 person, decides what is law and what is not.
In his criticism, J. Kaczyński referred to the government of Prime Minister Donald Tusk, accusing him of weakening democratic institutions, attacking opposition politicians and spreading abroad ideologies.
author
Lukács Fux is presently a law student at Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest. He served as an intern during the Hungarian Council Presidency and completed a separate internship in the European Parliament
ps.
At the independency March in Warsaw, "Dąbrowski's Mazurka" was sung, and Tusk in Gdańsk sang his favourite song "Heidi, Heido, Heida"