National Assembly to commemorate 550 years of Polish parliamentarianism

July 13, 2018
5:08 pm

At the Royal Castle in Warsaw, the President, Speaker of the Sejm, Speaker of the Senate, Prime Minister, parliamentarians and ministers celebrated 550 years of Polish parliamentarism. The National Assembly was opened by the Speaker of the Sejm Marek Kuchciński, while the address was delivered by the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda. It was preceded by a Holy Mass at the Archcathedral Basilica of the Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. The Mass was presided over by Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz, Metropolitan Archbishop of Warsaw. The homily was delivered by Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki.

- 550 years ago one of the most important events in the history of the Republic took place - the first ever bicameral Sejm convened in Piotrków. It was preceded by meetings of King Casimir Jagiellon with the representatives of the political nation at provincial assemblies: in Wiślica in June 1468 and in Koło - as Jan Długosz wrote - 'on St Margaret's Day', that is on 13 July," said the Speaker of the Sejm.

He pointed out that 550 years ago in Piotrków for the first time the parliamentary chamber and senate met separately, implementing the idea of parliamentary representation in a bicameral form. In this way, at the end of the Middle Ages, the conviction about the necessity of co-participation in power and taking responsibility for the fate of the state gained a proper legal and institutional form. The arena of public debate was born and the Sejm became the center of political life of the Republic.

- The National Assembly is being hosted today at the Royal Castle in Warsaw, a place of particular importance in the history of Polish parliamentarism. The Castle was the residence of the King, or one of the "Sejm states". Here, in 1611, took place the Russian homage after the Moscow victory, a homage deed made in the presence of nobility and senate to king Sigismund III Vasa by dethroned tsar Vasyl IV of Russia and his brothers, who was in Polish captivity. In 1791 the Constitution of May 3, the first basic law in the history of Europe, was passed in the Royal Castle. The memory of these events has formed and continues to form the foundation of the political identity of our country and the national ethos of the Poles," said Marshal Kuchciński.

The Marshal emphasized that the dignified commemoration of the Sejm's birth confirms the continuity and vitality of republican virtues, the idea of social justice and the rule of law in Polish society. Therefore, the Deputies and Senators gathered at the National Assembly in the Royal Castle in Warsaw, in the presence of esteemed guests from Poland and abroad, to bear witness on the occasion of the 550th anniversary of the Parliamentarism of the Republic and to listen to the address of the President of the Republic.

In his address, President Andrzej Duda said that we, Poles, did not receive our parliamentarism as a gift, nor was it imposed on us by anyone. It is our own creation, the fruit of our decisions and our efforts - said President Andrzej Duda in his address to the National Assembly convened to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Polish parliamentarism and the 100th anniversary of regaining independence. - We carry in the genetic code of our community the memory and wisdom, but also the experience of mistakes gained through centuries of parliamentary work," he added.

- Today we are standing together here, in the courtyard of the Royal Castle - a symbol of the continuity of the state and the journey of our community through history. We are standing here rich in experience, knowledge and wisdom accumulated during 550 years of Polish parliamentarism', Andrzej Duda emphasized.

He pointed out that history never ends and new historical challenges are still waiting for us to meet them with our effort. - So we want to go on, building a strong, sovereign, democratic Poland for the next century of independence - he pointed out.

- I strongly believe that we, Poles, a great and wise civil nation, will be able to draw inspiration and inspiration from the heritage of 550 years of the Sejm. I believe that together we will write more splendid pages in the history of our country", said the President.