Former Polish president and Solidarity leader Lech Wałęsa received the honorary citizenship of the port city of Szczecin.

A resolution granting the former Solidarity leader with an honorary citizen of Szczecin was adopted last September. Other renowned recipients of the honor include the former foreign affairs minister, professor Władysław Bartoszewski and archbishop Kazimierz Majdański.    

Accepting the honor Lech Wałęsa thanked for including him in the group. “Szczecin is an important city for many reasons. Szczecin - a city of divisions and a city of conflicts has to be a city that brings people together  today. We have always been together in our struggle and together we have initiated the direction this country has taken. I couldn't win without you” he said.  

During his visit to Szczecin, Mr Walesa laid wreaths at the monument to the victims of the workers’ revolt of December 1970 and took part in a debate at the city’s University on ‘Polish roads to freedom’.  It was one of numerous events to mark the forthcoming 20th anniversary of the 1989 parliamentary elections which paved the way to the collapse of communism in Poland. (mk/di)