On occasion of this anniversary I have drawn a timeline on which I marked twenty most important political, economic and social events of the last two decades. Of course, the list is subjective, but I hope you will go along with some of my views…
Before we get there… A short reference to the massacre on Tiananmen Square which took place exactly on 4th June 1989, when Chinese authorities cracked down on the students and workers protesting and claiming reforms leading up to democratisation. The photo taken one day later, on 5th June, by Jeff Widener has made a history and become one of the most recognised photos ever taken.
Today Chinese authorities, although their country has moved forward within last twenty years, are trying to pass over the anniversary and put down the remembrance of the dreadful events.
Getting on into our timeline…
1) 4th June 1989 – first semi-free parliamentary elections, ninety nine (per cent of) seats in upper house and all in the lower house. Thus Polish society showed red card to the ruling Polish United Workers’ Party and hit the final nail in the coffin of communism. It triggered gradual democratisation and market liberalisation reforms. From the moments which followed semi-free election one should mention appointing Wojciech Jaruzelski the president of Poland on 19th July 1989 and the inaugural address of first prime minister Tadeusz Mazowiecki, during which he passed out.
2) 29th December 1989 – The Lower House changed Poland’s name into “Republic of Poland”, the day before it also enacted Balcerowicz’s plan. Both went in motion on 1st January 1990.
3) 25th November and 9th December 1990 – in first free presidential elections Lech Wałęsa defeated Stan Tymiński, according to what some people say, in the face of a man coming out of nowhere with a black briefcase. The Wałęsa’s term was stormy and sometimes hilarious, but to my mind he still remained a trade union leader, simpleton a bit unfit for this office – I cannot deny his merits, however by dint of his mentality and traits I think he has never grown into such function…
4) 4th June (again!) 1992 – the government of Jan Olszewski was brought down by no-confidence motion. This date has become significant for the right-wing commentators and politicians who regard Third Republic of Poland as an extension of People’s Poland and symbolises the suppression of the political grouping swimming against the tide and disputing ideology of “salon” circled around Adam Michnik and “Gazeta Wyborcza”.
5) 5th November and 19th November 1995 and maybe 8th October 2000 – the next two presidential elections, both won by Aleksander Kwaśniewski. In the first ones his victory was commonly called into question (the reason was the lie of Mr Kwaśniewski who declared he had graduated university, when actually he had only received all credits but had not received the diploma). In 2000 Kwaśniewski was elected in a first round, getting more than fifty per cent of votes, what showed the scale of support for him. He gained notoriety for his alcohol overindulgence and other misdeeds, but at least he tried to be the president of all Poles, did not wrangle with the opposition when AWS-UW coalition was in power, as fiercely as the current president does. In spite of all his shortcomings he was a better president than his predecessor and successor.
6) 2nd April 1997 – Polish Parliament passed a constitution, then it was approved by voters in referendum on 25th May and took effect on 17th October 1997. It is effective until now, was amended twice, in 2006 and 2009. In spite of the plans made before elections in 2005, there were no serious talks about a new one. The legislators gave voice to the broad social compromise – that is the key virtue of this document for me…
7) July 1997 – the flood of the Millennium – the biggest natural disaster within last twenty years. Politically famous for Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz utterance “this the next case which confirms the still uncommon truth that one should be foreseeing and take out insurance policy”.
8) 1st January 1999 – four reforms of Jerzy Buzek’s Cabinet went into motion. They encompass: administrative division, health service, education and pension system. The ones who know me better know which was to my mind “the most successful”… (malice seeps out a bit)
9) 12th March 1999 – Poland joins North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, thus concluding the first stage of integration with West European structures…
10) 11th September 2001 – the attacks of 9/11 should not probably be placed here, but as the most significant event after the fall of communism deserve being mentioned. They indeed changed the world and are one of those events which are etched in my memory – I remember mostly that I had a huge homework to do for the next day’s Polish classes (I was thirteen at the time) and could not keep track of the commentary in television, however it seemed to look like a carefully planned show…
11) 13th December 2002 – during EU summit in Copenhagen prime minister Leszek Miller concluded the negotiations with EU, clearing the way to our admission onto its structures, his decision was approved in national referendum on 7th and 8th June 2003.
12) 27th December 2002 – “Gazeta Wyborcza” published an extensive article which unveiled so-called “Rywin’s scandal”. It finished a certain chapter in Polish politics, laying bare the corruptibleness of politicians, their propensity for embroiling in tie-ups with businesses and gave rise to the right-wing parties’ ideology of moral revolution and fourth republic…
13) 1st May 2004 – after years of negotiations and haggling Poland joined European Union – that was probably the most remarkable date within last two decades, the accession has had the biggest bearing on our economy, development prospects, labour market, agriculture, etc. The list could be much, much longer… The next day prime minister Leszek Miller handed down his resignation.
14) 2nd April 2005 – no matter how sceptical you are, doesn’t matter if you are a believer, a catholic or not – you can’t just wave aside the death of Pope John Paul the Second. Within those few days of national mourning Poles united their hearts, politicians ceased quarrelling. Poles loved and still love Pope but most of them do not follow his teachings or comply with them selectively…
15) 25th September and 23rd October 2005 – respectively parliamentary and presidential elections in Poland. Both, against the opinion polls and against all odds won by Law and Justice. In parliament Kaczynski’s party did not form the coalition with runner-up Civic Platform, on 23rd December Lech Kaczyński was sworn in as president. Those dates were meant to mark an onset of moral revolution and revival. The outcome turned out to be a travesty…
16) 5th May 2006 – the turning point in the rule of Law and Justice – the coalition with League of Polish Families and Self-Defence was formed. I burst out laughing when Roman Giertych was appointed minister of education, exactly one week after I completed my education in secondary school!
17) 7th September 2007 – by the decision of lower house of Polish Parliament, taken at 21:43 the term of parliament was shortened – the parliament was dissolved, the next day president called elections to be held on 21st October. Both main parties decided on holding elections willing to either strengthen its power or to stem the further march towards travesty of fourth republic.
My small interlude: I was deeply against the rule of Law and Justice and its coalitional partners, however, I would not demonise that period. I turned eighteen, completed secondary school and passed school leaving exams (matura) with flying colours, I got in university, I passed my driving exam at first take, found my first job. Grimy politics was looming somewhere in the distance, but away from joys and worries of day-to-day life…
18) 21st October 2007 – the most important elections since 1989, in which Poles settled on the direction Poland should go. They have chosen progress instead of raking up the past, looking forward instead of looking back, peace instead of PiS, advance instead of backwardness. Lots of Poles voted not for but against a certain party, the two-year long rule of Law and Justice undoubtedly mobilised voters to go to the polls and express their disgruntlement with the semi-democratic methods of exercising power…
19) 21st December 2007 – Poland joins Schengen Area – the next stage of our integration with European Union – border controls have been abolished on all borders with other EU member states.
20) 15th September 2008 – a symbolic date of the outbreak of current economic and financial crisis, which affected Poland and as a part of global economic machine. Until now our country managed not to plunge into recession (hopefully it will not do) and our economy holds firm. However, the aftermaths of the crisis are already noticeable and it is too early to speak about the light at the end of the tunnel…
If you think there was something more important what deserved being included on the list, or have your own recollections of any of those events, I’m waiting for the feedback, in any language convenient to you.
Może w ogóle powinienem to napisać po polsku?
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