2025-01-01 11:25 update: 2025-01-02, 14:14
Photo PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, has criticised in a televised New Year Eve's message the first year of the Donald Tusk government for deepening divisions and aggravating conflicts in Poland.
"This has led to chaos in the system of justice and the lack of legal security of the Polish people, and hence it has resulted in the weakening of Polish democracy," Duda said on Wednesday night.
The president said that he had noticed many "alarming signals" over the last year. "A record budget gap, the delaying of strategic investments, like the Central Transportation Hub (CPK) or the construction of Poland's first nuclear power plant, problems facing the health care sector or hospitals at risk of closing," he said.
According to Duda, instead of focusing on these matters which are of significance for the living standards of the Polish people and the country's development, the government did not consider them as its priorities.
Referring to the forthcoming presidential election, Duda said he believed in the wisdom of the Polish people and expressed hope that the future head of state would protect sovereignty and independence, and remain faithful to the constitution.
"We live in troubled times and we have learned that peace and freedom are not given once and for all, and that they must be sought for every day. That is why the security of our homeland must be the most important issue for the future president - regardless of who we entrust this office with," he stated
Duda also said that the war going on in Ukraine had been a key issue for Poland's security since the first day of Russia's invasion of that country.
Underlining that the war must not end with Russia's victory, Duda said that it had to end with just peace "which will prevent the outbreak of another conflict in the future."
The president stated that Poland's security had been based on two pillars, namely, a strong army and international alliances, and added that he was glad that NATO member countries decided to increase their defence spending.
Referring to Poland's EU presidency, starting on January 1, Duda said that the consolidation of EU-US cooperation should be its priority. "There is no safe Europe without the commitment of the US, both military and economic one."
"During my entire presidency I have been working for the strengthening of strategic Polish-US relations. I am proud that today they are stronger than ever before," he said, expressing hope that they would be given an even stronger dimension in the coming months. (PAP)
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