April 13, 2010
For much of the world, this past weekend's tragedy in Smolensk further amplified one of history's darkest episode that took place in Katyn and the compelling symbolism it carried for the citizens of Poland. However, for many observers, the spotlight on Poland has revealed recent changes that have moved a nation. In The Wall Street Journal, Marc Champion and Marcin Sobczyk's opening words convey these changes, "The tragedy delivered a major blow to Poland's political firmament. But the response both within the ex-Soviet-bloc nation and around the world showed how significantly Poland's place on the world stage has changed since the country emerged from communism in 1989."
The Economist's Edward Lucas poignantly reveals Poland's recent challenges and the new opportunities that await a post-communist eastern European nation that is transforming into a major player at the EU table. Poland's sizeable population when compared to the rest of eastern Europe's EU member states, the country's economic strength (due to prudent market reforms and growth) and the elected officials' commitment to strengthening Euro-Atlantic institutions are noteworthy.
The four relevant articles (found below with appropriate links) written by Edward Lucas in The Times and The Economist respectively and Marc Champion and Marcin Sobczyk's articles featured in The Wall Street Journal provide us all with a clearer picture of how Poland is embracing this recent tragedy and the nation's promising future.
A year ago, The International Leaders Summit - Economic Roundtable featured Ambassador Terry Miller, Co-Editor of The Wall Street Journal and Heritage Foundation's Index of Economic Freedom in Warsaw in partnership with Poland's finest independent think tanks - Project Lodz and the Adam Smith Center. And, we clearly saw the changes and heard Poland's leaders communicate their strong support of the rule of law and free markets.
Within our ranks in eastern Europe, there are many that have shared inspiring stories of those that lost their lives in Smolensk. A number of Poland's respected intellectuals on board the plane were ardent supporters of freedom and reforms. They will be remembered for their courage, determination and sacrifice. We were also reminded by our friends at CRCE in London that a few of Poland's respected leaders - no longer with us, served with our good friend and Cold War warrior Dr. Ljubo Sirc (founder of CRCE) in advancing freedom during difficult times.
During this time of national mourning, our thoughts are with the International Leaders Summit's trusted partners in Poland and those that have lost colleagues, friends and loved ones.
Sincerely,
Natasha Srdoc and Joel Anand Samy
Co-Founders, International Leaders Summit and Adriatic Institute for Public Policy
The International Leaders Summit - Economic Roundtable in partnership with Project Lodz and Adam Smith Center, Warsaw, Poland, February 2009.
The Times
April 12, 2010
Behind the grieving faces is a thriving nation
The spotlight on Poland today will burn increasingly brightly in the coming years
Edward Lucas
Tragedy and chaos, both imposed from outside and self-inflicted, feature all too often in Poland's history. They are exemplified by Saturday's plane crash. President Lech Kaczynski's apparently reckless insistence on landing on an unsuitable foggy airport cost the lives of some of Poland's most distinguished military and academic figures. The echo of the original Katyn massacre, in which the Polish prewar elite — lawyers, doctors, teachers, public servants, all serving as reserve officers — perished at Russian hands is unbearably poignant.
Yet the Poland that is now so convulsed in grief has another side to it. Never in its history has Poland been so prosperous or so secure. Last year its economy was the only one in all of Europe to show GDP growth, of 1.7 per cent. The country's banking system is solid, its public finances sound. The currency, the zloty, is inconveniently strong. Clapped-out communist-era infrastructure is giving way to excellent modern roads, railways and public buildings. Its state education system puts Britain's to shame.
Poland matters. Its 38 million population is bigger than the combined total of the other former communist countries (Hungary, Slovakia etc) that joined the European Union in 2004. In America's eyes, Poland's military matters more than that of any other country in continental Europe. Unlike the toy soldiers employed by many other so-called Nato allies, Poland's soldiers turn up, fight and die in missions overseas. In return, America insists that Nato makes real plans to defend Poland if necessary.
The country has lately gained a new role as a diplomatic heavyweight in Europe. The late President had many virtues, including an acute sense of history and scrupulous integrity.
But they were all too often overshadowed by his failings: obstinacy, pettiness and a sometimes startling lack of perspective. In the 2005-2007 period when Law and Justice, the main opposition party led by the President's twin brother Jaroslaw, was in office, ill-chosen tactics, amateurishness and startlingly bad public relations risked making Poland a laughing stock.
Since then, Poland's wily, soft-spoken Prime Minister Donald Tusk, and his heavyweight Oxford-educated Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski have brought about a diplomatic renaissance. Poland has defused tension with Germany, revived the Visegrad grouping of Central European former communist states, built a strong friendship with Sweden and managed a remarkable breakthrough with Russia, epitomised by Vladimir Putin's attendance at a ceremony in Katyn on April 7, just three days before Mr Kaczynski's own ill-starred visit there. Politics at home looks good too: whereas many other former communist countries flounder under weak minority governments, Mr Tusk's coalition administration is smooth, effective — and popular.
The socially conservative, prickly, ethics-conscious and patriotic constituency that voted for Mr Kaczynski will not go away. But the politicians that represent it look increasingly outmanoeuvred. Mr Kaczynski was already facing an all but insuperable challenge from Mr Tusk's Civic Platform party in the presidential elections in October. Now Law and Justice will struggle to find a strong candidate to run in his place. That will further streamline Polish politics by removing the embarrassing clashes with the presidency caused by constitutional confusion over who runs what in foreign policy.
The spotlight on Poland will burn increasingly brightly in the coming years. In 2011 Poland will hold the rotating six-month presidency of the EU, preceded by Hungary. The two countries are already planning hard to make that a success, and shift the centre of gravity in EU decision making away from the cosy West European cartel dominated by France and Germany. In 2012 Poland will host the European football championships jointly with Ukraine. Those old stereotypes about Polish backwardness, weakness, misery and failure have never looked more outdated.
Edward Lucas is central and Eastern Europe correspondent of The Economist
The Economist
EUROPE: Poland's tragedy
By Edward Lucas
The death of Poland's president carries a terrible echo of his country's past
Apr 11th 2010
The Wall Street Journal
By Marc Champion and Marcin Sobczyk
Apr 11, 2010 ... The death of Polish President Kaczynski, together with the cream of the nation's
By Marc Champion and Marcin Sobczyk
WARSAW—Taxis flew flags, radio stations played somber music and Poles in the thousands filled the streets here to honor the country's president, killed in a plane crash in Russia with nearly a hundred senior officials in a tragedy that has left the nation in a state of grief.
The tragedy delivered a major blow to Poland's political firmament. But the response both within the ex-Soviet-bloc nation and around the world showed how significantly Poland's place on the world stage has changed since the country emerged from communism in 1989.
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