“A Pole is only truly beautiful when he is free. And it doesn’t matter whether he holds left-wing or right-wing views,” emphasized Tomasz Sakiewicz while addressing the demonstrators gathered in front of the Supreme Court. “Today, we are fighting for the kind of Poland our ancestors fought for — democratic and free,” he added. He also called on the media to tell the truth about what is happening.
A protest and counter-demonstration are currently taking place outside the Supreme Court. Tomasz Sakiewicz, Editor-in-chief of Gazeta Polska and president of TV Republika, spoke to the crowd.
“The majority of politicians from the ruling coalition don’t want to sign off on a project aimed at dismantling democracy in Poland. They don’t want to take responsibility for the actions of individuals who should have been in prison long ago — like Roman Giertych. The only reason this man is not known as ‘Roman G.’ and can still influence the judiciary and prosecution is because the courts and prosecutors have been terrorized. This is something even Lukashenko would be ashamed of — they handled such things more discreetly,” he began.
“We are witnessing a dramatic decline in Poland’s international standing. The fact that the Polish Prime Minister is not allowed to be in the same room as other democratic leaders stems from the reality that Poland is no longer seen as a normal democratic country. We are becoming a peripheral nation where the constitution is no longer respected, freedom of speech is violated, political prisoners are held, and opponents are tortured. These facts are already being reported in documents from the U.S. Congress, the State Department, and those European institutions that still have the courage to stand up for the rule of law and freedom of speech,” Sakiewicz continued.
“This is not about being on the right or the left — it’s about being a democrat at heart and a Polish citizen. Today, we are fighting for the kind of Poland our ancestors fought for — democratic and free,” he stressed. “A Pole is only truly beautiful when he is free. And it doesn’t matter whether he holds left-wing or right-wing views,” he reiterated.
A Call to the Media
Sakiewicz also directed a message to journalists, especially those “who have joined the service of the current ruling coalition.”
“Have your own views, but tell the truth about what is happening. Because if they take away our freedom of speech, you’ll become nothing but puppets and hollow shells. You’ll be following the orders of various Colonel Rympałeks. Mr. Zembaczyński, Mr. Kołodziejczak, and Ms. Sroka will become your moral authorities. If this is the kind of Poland you want — to be the puppets of halfwits who dictate your shows, your articles, and your online content — then keep serving them,” he said.
“Today, you stand at a crossroads — you can choose truth and freedom. No one is asking you to give up your beliefs, but be decent. Do what you came into this profession to do — tell the truth about what is happening.”