President calls for giving Martial Law victims a Poland they can be proud of

President Aleksander Kwasniewski gave a speech at the National Memory Institute (IPN) yesterday marking the 20th anniversary of the start of Martial Law in 1981. In his address he described the imposition of Martial Law as unfortunate, the harm inflicted by the era as irreparable, and the losses irreplaceable. The speech was applauded by Stefan Niesiolowski, member of Solidarity Election Action of the Right (AWSP) and member of the opposition in the 1970s and 1980s, who said it demonstrated Kwasniewski's desire that the Polish State should suffer from as few political divisions as possible. Other politicians were more skeptical. Lech Kaczynski, leader of Law and Justice (PiS) and former Solidarity activist, said he believes the subject cannot be discussed only in terms of political responsibility, and that it should also be discussed as a legal issue. President Kwasniewski concluded his speech with the words, "As long as there is one person remaining who was hurt in those times, we owe him justice, an apology, dignity and solidarity. But we also owe him a Poland he can be proud of." (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 4) M.T.K.