Ms.

Teresa Halas

Chairperson

NSZZ Indywidualnych Rolników 

"Solidarity"

Member of the Polish Parliament

Dear Madam Speaker,

The celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Legislative Sejm provided an opportunity to look deep into the history of parliamentarism and to recall the profiles of its members. It should be emphasized that the parliamentary benches were filled with people who were deeply involved in the local social and political life. This particular activity was characteristic not only of parliamentarians. Social activists, among whom there were many from Podkarpacie, worked for the improvement of peasants' lives and granting them due rights. They shaped the national consciousness among the villagers. They showed that peasants were also an important part of Polish society and co-creators of the reborn homeland. They gave the Polish farmer the most precious things - dignity and faith in his own abilities. These values have been cherished for generations and passed from father to son. They turned out to be so strong that in the communist times farmers did not submit to nationalization and did not yield to the communist ideology.

Strikes in Ustrzyki Dolne and Rzeszów were a firm expression of attachment to patriotic and Christian traditions. United farmers openly spoke out against the regime's authority. They fought with determination for the rights to freedom and property, and demanded a better life. The protests ended with a great success - the signing of agreements which went down in history as the Rzeszów-Ustrzyki Agreements, which opened the way to registration of the Solidarity Trade Union of Individual Farmers.

On this anniversary day, I would like to address words of appreciation to the participants of the strikes and signatories of the Agreements, thanking them for their courageous attitude.   

Best regards

     Marek Kuchciński