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The Round Table of 1989. Elections of June 1989 and consequences. Meeting 18. 30 th November 1988 Wałęsa – Miodowicz TV Debate. 1989. January - initial talks concerning some kind of agreement; all sides present various options
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The Round Table of 1989. Elections of June 1989 and consequences. Meeting 18.
1989 January - initial talks concerning some kind of agreement; all sides present various options 14/15 January - in the proposed drafts of new laws the word “Solidarity” appears for the first time 16/17 January - X Plenum (Plenary Meeting) of the Central Committee of PZPR (Polska Zjednoczona Partia Robotnicza – Polish United Workers’ Party) decides on the calling of Round Table 22 January- “Solidarity” National Executive Committee agrees on Round Table as good starting point for further talks 27 January - meeting between Czesław Kiszczak and Lech Wałęsa decide on the Round Table structure – 56 participants: 20 members of the opposition, 6 from state labour union, 14 from ruling coalition (PZPR, ZSL, SD), 14 independent authorities and 2 representatives of the Church 6 February - Round Table meets in Pałac Namiestnikowski in Warsaw
Round Table breaks up to discuss in three groups: Economy and social policy Political reform Union pluralism Additional sub-groups are arranged in the following fields: agriculture, mining, legal issues, associations, local authorities, youth, mass media, science, education, health and ecology. A total of 452 negotiators were involved on both sides. 24 February- a law “Concerning certain aspects of consolidation of economy” is passed enabling private persons to take over state enterprises 15 March- new currency laws are passed legalizing hard currency transactions 5 April- after long and very difficult negotiations, part of which were held “outside” the Round Table, and which were very close to being broken on several occasions, the Round Table concludes its work
1989 5 April - Round Table ends 7 April - Polish parliament changes the constitution and passes a new, liberal law on associations 7 April - Polish parliament changes electoral law 8 April - first sitting of the Citizens’ Committee 13 April - Council of Ministers decides that elections will take place on June 4th and 18th 17 April - Re-registration of “Solidarity” 17 April - Jaruzelski visits Moscow and gets Gorbachev’s promise that Moscow will not interfere in Poland’s domestic affairs 20 April - Farmers’ “Solidarity” registered 29 April - Walesa makes photos with candidates to parliament 8 May - first edition of “Gazeta Wyborcza” (150.000 copies) 9 May - first radio electoral programme of Solidarity
Elections were viewed and commented in many ways. For the US embassy briefing on these events please refer to: http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB42/ where interesting information about the events and the atmosphere can be found.
1989 June elections According to the “Round Table” contract seats in the lower chamber (Parliament) were pre-divided among parties: PZPR was guaranteed 38% ZSL was guaranteed 15% SD was guaranteed 7% Social/catholic organisations were guaranteed 5% Free election was to give only 35% deputies
4-18 June- problems with the central electoral list 11 June - Jerzy Urban announces that the opposition agreed at the Round Table, that Jaruzelski should be the future president 13 June - Janusz Onyszkiewicz states that no agreement concerning Jaruzelski was reached 18 June - second round of elections; only 25.5 % participate 23 June - forming of the Citizens’ Parliamentary Club (260 deputies)
June/July- demonstrations against Jaruzelski, who is named as the only possible candidate for presidency 3 July- Adam Michnik publishes an article in “Gazeta Wyborcza” – “Your President, our Prime Minister” 4 July- first meeting of the Parliament and the Senate 7-8 July - Bucharest – Gorbachev rejects the Breschnev doctrine 9-11 July- George Bush visits Poland 18 July- Jaruzelski announces readiness to run in the election 19 July- Jaruzelski elected president by the National Assembly: one candidate, 544 deputies present; 270 for, 233 against, 34 abstain, 7 spoil their votes 2 August- Czesław Kiszczak nominated Prime Minister by the Parliament (237 against 173 votes) 12 August- USSR acknowledges Ribbentrop-Molotov Pact as void 14 August- Kiszczak resigns not being able to form the government 17 August- Wałęsa sets up a coalition between “Solidarity”, ZSL and SD
19 August- Jaruzelski asks Tadeusz Mazowiecki, a candidate put forth by Wałęsa to form the government 19 August- Ceausescu proposes to help his Polish comrades 22 August- Gorbachev calls Rakowski convincing him to accept Mazowiecki as PM 24 August- Mazowiecki approved by the Parliament (378 against 4, with 41 abstaining) 12 September - Mazowiecki’s Cabinet approved by the Parliament. 11 ministries fall to Solidarity; 4 to PZPR; 3 to ZSL; 2 to SD; ministry of foreign affairs is taken by an independent professor – Krzysztof Skubiszewski