Polish leaders mark June 4, 1989 elections at special Senate session

"Owing to these elections and because of the attitude of the Polish people, a socio-political transformation took place in Central Europe," he stressed. 

"Even though the elections to the Sejm (lower house) were not fully free, the Polish people showed that they were determined to reject communism and the communists. By rejecting the so-called national list, they rejected the existing socio-political system and the authority of Moscow, here, in Warsaw," Duda stressed.

Duda stressed that since the 1989 elections Poland had been striving to catch up with Western Europe, but was only managing to do so now because of numerous mistakes made along the way. He observed, however, that the general outcome of the changes was positive and that Poland today was a totally different country from the one it was in 1989.

"Our compatriots see a changing Poland. The general balance of the changes is definitely positive and shows a completely different country than in 1989," Duda said, adding that Poland was now "free, independent, sovereign and far more prosperous."

Duda also referred to voices advocating the liquidation of the Senate, and stressed that he was in favour of the continued existence of the upper house. "I believe it is very necessary as a chamber of reflection, a platform for a calmer debate," the president said.

In his address, PM Mateusz Morawiecki stated that he had been very negative about the Round Table talks between the communist government and the opposition that preceded the 1989 elections, but had learnt to appreciate their value with time. He added that the talks led to Poland's first really free elections in 1991.

"Years later, I can see their great value. And I can state that they were an extremely important step on the road to freedom, to fully free elections, which were held two-and-a-half years later, in 1991," he emphasised.

Sejm Speaker Marek Kuchcinski said that the June 4, 1989 elections gave a start to great changes in Poland. Kuchcinski stressed that the events in Poland sparked a wave of changes across the whole continent, including the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the declarations of sovereignty by the former Soviet republics Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine.

"Today, Poland and other Central and East European countries are safe. We can exist only in an environment in which mutual confidence, close cooperation and solidarity prevail," Kuchcinski observed, adding that "today, numerous countries in our part of Europe are linked with the European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance."

Senate Speaker Stanisław Karczewski observed that, over the past three decades, Poles had "come a long way as a nation and state." He recalled that many mistakes and "sharp turns" had been made along the way, but assured that Poland was still on its path to level with the highest-developed economies. Karczewski added that Poland's regained freedom allowed Poles to pursue their goals unhindered, and stressed that the shape of the country depended solely on its people.

"Our regained freedom allows us to realise our plans, and the shape of the country is dependent on us, because the state is there for us, for the citizens," the Senate head said.

On June 4, 1989 Poland held its first partly-free elections after the end of World War Two. They took place following an agreement reached during round table negotiations between the communist authorities, representatives of the opposition and the Church. Unlike elections to the Sejm, the elections to the Senate were fully free.

The vote of June 1989 gave 161 mandates in the 460-member Sejm and 99 mandates in the 100-member Senate to the opposition Solidarity movement. 

The Sejm vote in the 1989 elections is described as "partly free" because in a pre-election agreement, the ruling communists ensured 65 percent of the seats for themselves and their satellite partners.  (PAP)
at/mr/mb/aa/mf/