President Duda speaks at Polish army day ceremonies
You are presenting Poland's greatness, we are all very proud of you, said President Andrzej Duda addressing soldiers before a military parade held in Warsaw Saturday, the Polish armed forces day. He thanked soldiers for their outstanding service.
President Andrzej Duda said that modernisation of the Polish army was a must. "We must modernise the Polish army, strengthen it as this consolidates Poland's security and its citizens," the president declared.
We must also closely cooperate with all forces of NATO, our allies and guarantors of our security, he went on. "I am confident that this security will be strengthened even more in the near future," he added.
He paid tribute to Polish soldiers fallen in the Polish-Bolshevik war of 1920, in WW2 and after the war. He voiced respect for veterans.
"Polish soldiers acting together, irrespective of their background, stopped the Bolshevik invasion of Poland and also the attack on the whole Europe" when they repelled approaching Red Army near Warsaw on August 15, 1920, Duda said.
"Poland is beautiful and is becoming ever stronger. I want Poland to be a state which knows how to defend the weak and does not have to fear the powerful. This is a great challenge for the Polish soldiers and for the Polish authorities, also the president. I declare that I will do my best to meet this challenge," Duda promised.
His address was followed by a military parade including air force. Also US and Canadian soldiers took part in the parade watched by thousands of Warsaw residents.
Present at the parade were also PM Ewa Kopacz, deputy PM and Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak, deputy PM Janusz Piechocinski, head of the National Security Bureau Pawel Soloch, and army commanders.
I believe that we can rebuild a strong Poland. We need the sense of community which united Poles in 1920, Duda said in another address Saturday, also commemorating the Battle of Warsaw in August, 1920.
"We, the Poles, can do it. The Polish army supported by our allies and wisely managed by politicians in power will be a strong army also when it comes to hardware, not just morale, which is the case now. The army will be bigger, we can afford that. I believe that we can rebuild a strong Poland."
Source: PAP
