Former communist leader General Wojciech Jaruzelski was given a late invitation to the swearing in ceremony of president-elect Bronislaw Komorowski on Friday but says he will not be attending.
The President’s office announced today that Jaruzelski - who lead the communist government during the martial law period in Poland - had been given an invitation after reports earlier this week that he had been left off the list.
But General Jaruzelski has said it would be better if he did not attend, less it insult some of the members who were there.
The former president told TVN 24 he was "very grateful to [speaker of the house] Grzegorz Schetyna for the invitation, but there will be people there who I not want to cause discomfort.”
The late Lech Kaczynski - whose death forced a snap presidential election in Poland - was a fierce opponent of communism during the Solidarity years and waged war after 1989 on what he saw as its lasting influence.
In 1990, Lech Walesa did not invite General Wojciech Jaruzelski for his swearing in ceremony. Five years later, Aleksander Kwasniewski invited Lech Walesa - who he had just beat by the narrowest of margins - but the Solidarity leader did not attend. All three former heads of state, General Wojciech Jaruzelski, Lech Walesa and Aleksander Kwasniewski were invited to the swearing in of Lech Kaczynski.
Komorowski’s inauguration will take place at 10.00 CET, Friday.(pg/mg)
Thenews.pl |
