Tusk: EU election on June 9 is as important as that of 1989

Addressing a large crowd gathered in front of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, PM Tusk thanked his supporters for showing up in spite of what critics of the current government were saying. "And yet you're here, because Poland is not tired with freedom."

"I have asked you to come today with a deep belief that June 4 is one of the most important days in Poland's history. ... I'm talking about the 4th of June 35 years ago," he stressed.

"With great pleasure, I'd like to welcome a hero of our homeland - Lech Wałęsa. He was with us last year, he's with us today," Tusk said.

The prime minister stressed the symbolic value of Wałęsa's presence at the rally. "My generation remembers exactly what June 4, 1989, was about. The idea was to have Poland here, not Russia. And Lech Wałęsa along with 10 million Polish men and women decided together that Poland is here and that Poland will be here for centuries."

Tusk also urged Poles to take part in the election to the European Parliament scheduled for June 9, adding that it would demonstrate to the world that "people here do not capitulate to evil, that people here don't give up, that when we encounter evil, we want to be strong".

He stressed that the upcoming EU election is as important as that of June 4, 1989.

Former President of Poland Lech Wałęsa praised told the gathering that his success in the past was possible largely to his down-to-earth approach to life.

In his view, the time has come for another generation to succeed. "Because your success, success of prime minister Tusk, will confirm the success of my generation and my personal one."

The former president underscored that the success of the 1989 election was a success for all Polish people. He argued that Solidarity had achieved all that was possible at the time.

Wałęsa also praised Donald Tusk and called upon voters to support the prime minister.

"Fate has given Poland a great politician, a politician who will drag Poland to Europe, and therefore respect his team, help his team. He really knows what he's doing and will really lead us, (and) correct all wrongs that PiS has caused.

"Support him, help him for eight years - after eight years you'll do what you please. Eight years is enough for him to tidy up Poland," Wałęsa said. "Trust him, give him a chance," he urged.

The elections of June 4, 1989, were the result of an agreement reached during the Round Table talks between the communist authorities, some members of the opposition, and the Catholic Church.

The turnout in the first round (June 4) was high - 62 percent. The result was a success for Solidarity - 60 percent voted for candidates put forward by the Solidarity Citizens' Committee. Out of 161 parliamentary seats then designated for the opposition, Solidarity won 160 in the first round, as well as 92 out of 100 seats in the Senate.

In the second round, the Solidarity Citizens' Committee won the last vacant parliamentary seat. In the Senate elections, Solidarity won a total of 99 out of 100 seats.