Award for Pole Criticized

AP via The St Petersburg Times ^ | Tuesday, May 10, 2005

[lizol]

Award for Pole Criticized

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Czech President Vaclav Klaus on Monday criticized the honors bestowed on the former Polish head of state Wojciech Jaruzelski during celebrations in Moscow to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.

Jaruzelski was among six former heads of state who received a medal of honor from President Vladimir Putin, CTK news agency reported.

"Jaruzelski is - despite his merit in defeating Nazism - a different symbol for our citizens," Klaus said in a statement.

"As Poland's Defense minister he was a symbol of the [Soviet-led] invasion into Czechoslovakia which included the Polish army," Klaus said in reference to military action against the liberal reforms of Alexander Dubcek known as the "Prague Spring" in 1968.

Klaus also mentioned Jaruzelski's role as Poland's Communist Party general secretary in crushing the Polish human rights movement known as Solidarity led by Lech Walesa.

[lizol]

Thank you President Klaus!

[lizol]

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[RobbyS]

I never would have guessed that the Czechs, who once had the reputation of being indifferent to the excesses of communism, as compared with the Poles, should have produced such men as Hevel and Klaus. God bless them.

[TFine80]

Why? What's wrong with establishing martial law and banning all political speech?

[lizol]

And this is something we should be realy ashamed of in Poland. Because our President Kwasniewski went to Moscow together with Jaruzelski.

But what else should we expect having in mind, that the latter was the mentor of the previous one.

[Lukasz]

For Putin Jaruzelski is faithful hero!

[lizol]

I wonder, during communist time who would salute whom first - Soviet KGB colonel Putin to "Polish" general Jaruzelski or the other way round?

[Spirited]

Thank you for that information, Lizol.
No wonder we have been seeing Pres. "Waz" pandering to Moscow.

I hope that soon he will only be the President who "was".
I now start praying that he is ousted somehow.

[lizol]

Yes, yes, yes - in October!

And actually all the candidates, who may win the election are good Polish patriots and decent men.

So I won't be embarassed by my President anymore.

[dfwgator]

Jaruzelski should have been put before a firing squad years ago. I never bought that "bunk" about how he "saved" Poland from invasion from the Soviets by imposing Martial Law.

[j23]

What do you want lizol? Of all persons Putin is the right one to give Jaruzelski medals.