2024-05-01 11:30 update: 2024-05-03, 15:32
Photo PAP/Radek Pietruszka
Polish President Andrzej Duda has said Poland's 20-year presence in the European Union was a very good time as the country celebrates anniversary of its accession to the bloc on May 1.
He made the statement during his address delivered in the Presidential Palace on Wednesday morning.
Duda said that May 1, 2004, when Poland joined the European community was "a very important and symbolic day."
"Today we look at our presence in the EU from the perspective of these 20 years and we can certainly say one thing: it was and is a very good time for Poland," he said.
According to Duda, during this time Poland has seen "a huge change" also in "the sense of being part of ... not only the European, but the global community" given freedom of movement and choice of place of work.
He said that the last 20 years have also seen "an extremely dynamic development" of Poland.
"This is a great merit not only of the European Union itself and our membership in it. Not only of the European funds that we received, primarily under cohesion policy," Duda argued.
But, he added, "this is primarily due to the great effort, wisdom, intelligence and great attitude of our compatriots, those responsible for preparing the procedures of spending European funds... for ensuring that these funds were absorbed the best possible way, so that they actually serve the development of Poland. (PAP)
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