On Monday, June 28, a meeting with Grzegorz Napieralski, chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance, was held in the conference room of the Bolesławiec County Office. “In the presidential election, we managed to show that there is also a third political force in Poland, a real alternative to two quarreling parties,” said the SLD leader. “It does not matter who becomes president. The dispute between PO and PiS will continue. But I believe that Poles now see the need for change; that they recognize that a modern and progressive political formation has emerged.”
Napieralski also spoke about his election result and the efforts by Bronisław Komorowski and Jarosław Kaczyński to win over the left-wing electorate. “This election is the beginning of positive changes in Poland. Many of those who voted for me said ‘no’ to the current political situation,” he noted. “Both presidential candidates now desperately want more than 2 million voters to come over to them. They are showing what left-wing politicians they supposedly are. But the movement of voters is not particularly large. Poles sense that this is an electoral game, not concrete program commitments.”
“Left-wing activists must do everything to avoid losing voters’ trust,” the SLD leader continued. On June 29, a decision was to be made on whom Napieralski might support in the second round of the presidential election. “We certainly will not follow the path of Samoobrona. There will be no support in exchange for positions,” the politician declared.
During the meeting, Napieralski also mentioned Jerzy Szmajdziński, who died in the Smolensk air disaster: “We argued at times. He was a very experienced politician, while I expected immediate results. Jurek was conciliatory and did not seek confrontation. Sometimes he preferred to take a step back and look for a compromise.”
Asked whether his electoral success had softened him, Grzegorz Napieralski replied: “Life has taught me that one must remain humble. A colleague once told me: be careful, because pride and arrogance always ride a beautiful horse, but they will not stop before a great precipice. I know one thing for certain: hard work pays off; one must not give up, even when everything is conspiring against you.”
The SLD chairman also said that Poland should pursue the Scandinavian model. “Scandinavians build preschools and schools, they have industry and excellent skilled workers. But they also know how to care for people. Anyone who finds themselves in a difficult situation is assured assistance from the state,” he emphasized.
The politician also mentioned that he would like the “Notebooks for Every Student” program to be launched. Its implementation would cost the state budget PLN 250 million. “And I know how to obtain the money. It is enough to abolish the Institute of National Remembrance,” Napieralski said. His words were met with thunderous applause.
(GA report)