Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt is going to visit the Polish capital Warsaw on 3-4 June. There, he will participate in the 25th anniversary of Poland’s democratic emancipation.
On June 4, 1989 the first relatively free elections after the war were carried out in Poland. This was a crucial step in the political transformation and democratic transition in Poland and other Eastern and Central European countries. A quarter of a century after that historic event, a large jubilee ceremony is held in Warsaw attended by heads of state and governments and other dignitaries, among others by U.S. President Barack Obama. The ceremony will provide an opportunity to share experiences and perspectives on various current issues.
Mr Carl Bildt, Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs, will also be speaking at the distribution of the so-called Solidarity Prize. The prize has been set up by the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the 25th anniversary, and is intended to be presented annually to a person who fights for freedom. Bildt has served on the jury for this year’s prize, which will be awarded to leader of Crimea Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev. Mr Bildt will also participate in a seminar on European foreign policy together with Danish Foreign Minister Martin Lidegaard.