Former Polish President Lech Walesa, one of the founders of Visegrád (V4) cooperation, was presented with the Visegrád Bridge Award on Wednesday in Parliament.
Minister in charge of the Prime Minister’s Office János Lázár said in his speech that the life of Lech Walesa is a lesson for every political force that wants to return to the principle of true popular sovereignty, because in the spirit of the Solidarity movement, of which he is a symbol, he represented precisely the will of the quiet majority in the shaping of common issues.
The head of the Prime Ministers’ Office also stressed that Lech Walesa was not only a witness to the history of Poland, Central-Eastern Europe and the world that had been torn in two by the Cold War, but had played a major role in realising change.
According to Minister Lázár, the former Polish President professes that instead of being dependent on others we should learn to stand on our own two feet. We must make Central and Eastern Europe capable of become a true force within the European Union, he added.
Lech Walesa succeeded in becoming a “bridge” that led from communism to freedom, and which created relations between East and West where before there had been only a wall and an iron curtain, the Minister said in closing.
At the event, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Gergely Gulyás emphasised that Lech Walesa was a symbol of resistance against 20th century communist dictatorship, of the 1989-90 regime change and of “the Solidarity movement, which invoked the most glorious traditions of Polish history”.
The Deputy Speaker declared that the first, determinative steps towards belonging to the European community were taken by Central European countries under the leadership of József Antall in Hungary, Václav Havel in Czechoslovakia and later the Czech Republic, and Lech Walesa in Poland.
Director of the International Visegrád Fund Karla Wursterová spoke about the fact that Solidarity had become the driving force of the peaceful transition that had determined the future of Central Europe, of the solidarity and unity of the people and of resolving conflicts while maintaining mutual respect.
In his speech, Lech Walesa emphasised that the Polish people had never given up the fight for freedom and democracy. He spoke out in favour of globalisation, but stressed that we must not forget about common strengths and values. He stated that the unity of Europe was also of great importance and underlined the fact that the nations of Europe can only move forward together and in unity.
Lech Walesa is one of the founding members of the Solidarity trade union movement and was President of Poland from 1990 to 1995. He is one of the founders of the Visegrád cooperation and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983.
The Visegrád Bridge Award was established by the International Visegrád Fund and the József Antall Knowledge Centre on the 25th anniversary of the regime change and the 10th anniversary of the Visegrád countries joining the European Union with the intention of acknowledging a person each year from the fields of politics, the economy and diplomacy in recognition of the work they have performed in the interests of the V4.