Lech Kaczyński

Lech Kaczyński (18 June 1949 – 10 April 2010) was a Polish politician; a leader of Prawo i Sprawiedliwość (Law and Justice) party, and the President of Poland from 2005 to 2010.

Lech Kaczyński (2006)

Quotes

• Piss off, lout! (Spieprzaj, dziadu)
  • During the 2002 campaign to a tramp (4 November 2002). More details can be found in the (Polish) Wikipedia article [1] or [2] (in Polish).

• The politician has a right to defend his dignity. I ignored the first wave of invectives, but the second one was too much, I couldn't have handled it and I had said in hard (but for the street - where I was - soft) words that he should go.
  • President Kaczyński's comment on words above. (2002)

• I haven't been wounded, but I can still feel that hit. I will not tolerate such behaviour.
  • President Kaczyński's comment on being attacked by an anarchist with a blueberry-and-cream pie after banning an LGBT Equality Parade in Warsaw (2 June 2004)

• The promotion of homosexuality may lead to the eventual destruction of the human race.

Rzeczpospolita interview (March 2005)

Quotes from an interview appearing in Rzeczpospolita (19-21 March 2005)

• It is necessary to restore the dignity of the presidential office and cut it off decisively from non-transparent connections... For the first time in many years, I see a chance in Poland for major change. The presidential office can guarantee that these changes are carried out without undermining the social equilibrium.

• What we want is a moral revolution, not one that people associate with street riots and the disorganisation of life. A transformation of attitudes that will introduce a normal, moral order in the functioning of the state. An order whereby honesty is a positive value, and dishonesty a negative one.

• I'm opposed to the idea of a flat-rate tax, and I doubt I'd sign it. Attempts to introduce a liberal utopia need to be opposed. The presidential office should oppose such ideas and care for social equilibrium to be maintained.

• The Polish society is not composed solely of entrepreneurial and energetic young people. I can't image pensioners who get ZL600 or ZL800 a month getting even less than that. That'd be immoral.

• It sets a path towards the elimination of nation states and the emergence of a European state in the strictest sense of the word. I'm definitely opposed to it.
  • On the EU Constitution

• The EU isn't a loving family of European nations where everyone altruistically cares for everyone else. Various interests clash on various issues, and all kinds of coalitions are struck to push through specific solutions. I have no inhibitions here whatsoever. We can cooperate with France and Germany on some issues, and argue with, say, Spain and the UK. Realistically, however, we have to collaborate above all with those countries that want more autonomy within the EU, such as the UK or Denmark.

• The US is a difficult partner, but an indispensable one. Everyone who have had to do with US politicians and diplomats knows they aren't easy to deal with. That is because of their immense sense of power. But an alliance with the US is absolutely necessary because of our relations with, on the one hand, Germany and France, and, on the other, Russia.

• The Russians can be expected to carry out policies aimed at regaining their influence in Poland... I'm talking here about gas, oil, and so on. The Russians want this to be their zone of influence again, though of course on a different basis than in the past. They don't want full domination but rather an ability to exert substantial influence.

• We have to oppose the widespread view that if the Russians are provoking us, we shouldn't react because that could be perceived as a confirmation of Poland's alleged russophobia. Let's remember that Russia is not only provoking us but also checking how far it can go. Recently it went definitely too far. We must react when we have to do with obvious nonsense, like the Russian foreign ministry's recent statement that Yalta resulted in a strong, free, and democratic Poland.

Georgia capital speech (August 12, 2008)

Warning of Russian ambition: "And we also know very well that today Georgia, tomorrow Ukraine, the day after tomorrow the Baltic States, and then maybe it's time for my country, for Poland!" [3][4]

Prince Charles, to Kaczyński (March 2010)

At a dinner hosted by President Lech Kaczyński and wife Maria at the presidential palace, Charles, Prince of Wales commented:

• I was particularly keen to do what little I could to help your country after the collapse of Communism, having for so long held a combination of profound admiration and heartfelt sympathy for the appalling suffering of the Polish people.

External links

• Official site (in Polish)