On behalf of the President of the Republic of Poland, President of the Institute of National Remembrance Dr. Jaroslaw Szarek presented decorations to 14 opposition activists. Among the honorees was Speaker of the Sejm Marek Kuchcinski.

- With the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity I connect a certain parable, repeated more than once, over the decades: there is no freedom without solidarity. We, the fighters, also added that there is no freedom without hard work, without hardship and sometimes suffering, which the cross embodies," the Speaker of the Sejm said during his speech. He also spoke of the dream of an independent Republic. - It was worth it. The dream has come true, we live in a free and independent Poland, and we have a modest share in this multi-generational work.

All those decorated with the Cross shared a common vision of a normal Poland. They went against the tide, and were ready to pay any price for freedom. - You were on the right side, and that cannot be bought with any money," said Jaroslaw Szarek. - These three words: Cross, Freedom, Solidarity say what Polishness is. Today we pay tribute to you, and at the same time the Polish state pays its debt, because there would be no independent, free Poland or Europe in today's shape without Solidarity. This is your merit and you can be proud of it," said the IPN president.

Honored with the Cross of Freedom and Solidarity:

1. Wojciech Buczak
2. Marian Irzyk
3rd Adam Kantor
4. Stanislaw Marcin Kłos
5. jozef Krupa
6. Marek Tadeusz Kuchcinski
7. Stanislaw King Kusinski
8. Mieczyslaw Liber
9. Tadeusz Jan Panek
10. Zbigniew Sieczkoś
11. Stanislaw Solek
12. Adam Sniezek
13. Andrzej Władysław Wąsik
14. Marek Wojciech Wójcik
15. Robert Turski - posthumously

Commander's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta was awarded to Marek Wojciech Wojcik

Photo by Marta Olejnik