The year 2014 will bring a summing up of 25 years of Polish freedom after the systemic change that occurred in 1989, said President Bronislaw Komorowski in his New Year's message delivered on public television Tuesday night.
The president invited Poles to celebrate the 25th anniversary of systemic changes. "I would like the celebrations to help strengthen our national community and pride," he said.
"In the special year 2014 we will recall our individual personal achievements, those of our relatives and of Poland, including those of the new generation that was born already in a free country, i.e. after 1989. It is worth appreciating how much has changed after the victory of the camp of freedom and solidarity in the June 4, 1989, parliamentary elections," Komorowski declared.
He mentioned two important "sources of hope" for the future - the family and effects of Poland's membership of the EU. "At long last there are chances for a success of pro-family policy. This is of strategic importance in times of a deep demographic crisis," said the president.
The EU funds allocated to Poland in the years 2014-2020 offer "a great opportunity for speeding up development of the country and individual communes and localities," Komorowski noted. "These funds offer chances for every one of us and it is up to us all to put them to a wise use."
He recalled he had visited over 100 Polish towns and localities in the passing year and admitted that the meetings he had with local population made him aware of "how much remains to be done to fight genuine poverty and weakness." "We know that not all of us have found their worthy place in the changing country, so we must not be complacent or abandon the road of Polish transformations. We must not be indifferent to helplessness and lack of hope," he added.
The symbols of Poland’s development were "roads and motorways emerging not without problems," Komorowski opined. "Before our very eyes Poland is making up for its civilisational neglect and connecting ever better with outside world. I would welcome an initiative to call the westbound motorway from Warsaw 'Freedom Motorway' and that leading from Gdansk to Poland's southern border 'Solidarity Motorway'. A combination of historic, human, family and national solidarity with freedom makes the strongest and most beautiful source of Polish energy, successes and hopes," he declared.
He wished Poles that their hopes, plans and commitments associated with the New Year became "the source of strength for the entire country, strength that is necessary to meet fresh challenges, solve emerging problems and overcome fresh hurdles."
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Ewa Malcher
