photo - PAP/Andrzej Hrechorowicz
Chants of “Wake up Poland, we have had enough” and “Honour and glory to the heroes” accompanied the march, organised by Kaczynski's Law and Justice (PiS) party,
After gathering to read out the names of over 90 people who lost their lives in the communist crackdown against Solidarity at the end of 1981, the march set off for the statue of national hero Jozef Pilsudski, where Jaroslaw Kaczynski spoke of “recent threats to Polish independence” in the wake of agreements in which Brussels could have more control over national budgets and finances.
“We are here to recall 13 December [1981] as the beginning of Poland's war of independence,” Kaczynski said, before calling for “a truly Polish government, in Polish interests,” alluding to what he believes is a government about give up some hard won sovereignty to the EU.
“Poles wake up!,” he finished, to chants of “Jaroslaw, Jaroslaw ...”.
The demonstrators also chanted “Sikorski is a traitor to the nation” after remarks the foreign minister made in Berlin about how Germany should lead Europe out of the crisis at the expense, Law and Justice argue, of Polish sovereignty.
On fears that the demonstration could descend into violence, as had happened on marches during Independence Day on 11 November, Law and Justice MP Mariusz Kaminski promised that the march would be “calm, wise and thoughtful”.
National honours
Earlier, masses were said in memory of the martial law period and its victims: and President Bronislaw Komorowski honoured members of the 1980s opposition for their role in fighting communist rule.
President Komorowski urged Poles not to forget martial law. “It was a dramatic event which broke Polish hopes for freedom, for a better nation, for a better world.
“Today our [political] disputes are nothing compared to what we, jointly, have overcome,” Komorowski said at the honours ceremony at the Belweder Palace presidential residence.
Newly elected, for the second time, as leader of the Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) Leszek Miller visited General Jaruzelski, who declared martial law 30 years ago, in hospital where he is undergoing treatment for lymphoma. (pg)
source: IAR/PAP