President Lech Kaczynski has awarded Gunter Verheugen, Vice President of the European Commission for Enterprise and Industry, the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for to integrate the country into the EU.

Verheugen was, according to Kaczynski, responsible for enlargement when Poland joined the European Union, adding that he belonged to a group of EU politicians that saw no sense in enlarging the Union without Poland.

“He is open to Poland, taking up issues between Poland and Germany as well,” added the President.

Kaczynski added that Poland’s accession to the European Union was, besides joining NATO, one of the most important strategic goals of the country.

The former Enlargement Commissioner stated that he is “moved and thankful to Polish society for so much trust and friendship,” at the bestowing ceremony that took place today in the President’s Palace in Warsaw. Verheugen added that Europe’s achievements were only possible thanks to Poles’ fight with totalitarianism.

The German stated that currently, Poland is secure and has a stronger position in the European Union, thanks specifically to the hard work of Poles who have very positively taken advantage of their transformation since the 1989 Round Table Talks. (mmj)