Geremek defeated by Spanish socialist in EU race but two MEP win deputy roles

With 208 supporting votes (out of 700) Bronisław Geremek lost his battle for the post of the head of the European Parliament, which was taken by a Spanish socialist Josep Borrell (388 votes). However, Jacek Saryusz-Wolski from the Civic Platform and Janusz Onyszkiewicz from the Freedom Union won two out of fourteen posts of Deputy Chairmen. Janusz Onyszkiewicz appeared on the political scene in the 80s when he became a spokesperson for Solidarity, later he was elected Sejm deputy several times. His greatest achievement was becoming a Defense Minister twice, first in Hanna Suchocka's and later in Jerzy Buzek's governments. Jacek Saryusz-Wolski has been dealing with European issues since the 80s when he was a scientist at Łódź University. He was the government's first EU commissioner and later he was nominated a Secretary of the European Integration Committee (KIE). He played a major role during the 2000 Nice summit talks. Janusz Lewandowski of the Civic Platform has the chance to become the Chairman of the EU's Budget Commission. (Rzeczpospolita, p. A1, A2, A3) D.W.