On the 39th anniversary of the introduction of martial law, President Andrzej Duda lit the “Light of Freedom” on Piłsudski Square in Warsaw. “Martial law was a day of a terrible tragedy of interrupting the time of the first Solidarity, blowing away the dream of freedom for a long time, for almost 10 years until 1989,” Andrzej Duda said.
“The place where we are standing, this cross commemorating the Holy Mass celebrated in 1979 by John Paul II and his words about the descent of the Holy Spirit on this earth awakened the desire for freedom,” the President said.
“Did martial law have to be proclaimed to save the communist power? Certainly so, so that the communists could continue to rule Poland. Was there a danger of Soviet aggression against Poland and the entry of the Warsaw Pact Soviet troops here, as the representatives of the then communist authorities led by Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski claimed …, ” he asked.
According to the president, “there is absolutely no confirmation of this in historical documents.”