Aleksander Kwasniewski
President of the Republic of
Poland
1995 - 2005
Aleksander Kwasniewski was born on November 15th, 1954, in Bialogard,
(formerly Koszalin Voivodship, presently West-Pomeranian Province). Wife
Jolanta, maiden name Konty, daughter Aleksandra (born 1981).
In the years 1973-1977, Aleksander Kwasniewski read for transport
economics (foreign trade) at the Gdansk University. An activist of the
student movement up to 1982, having held, among other functions,
chairmanship of the University Council of the Socialist Union of Polish
Students (SZSP) from 1976 to 1977, vice-chairmanship of the Gdansk
Voivodship Union from 1977 to 1979. A member of the SZSP supreme
authorities from 1977 to 1982. From November 1981 to February 1984 -
editor in chief of student weekly "ITD," next editor in chief of daily
"Sztandar Mlodych" from 1984 to 1985. A co-founder of the first
computer-science periodical in Poland "Bajtek" in 1985.
From 1985 to 1987, Minister for Youth Affairs in the Zbigniew Messner
government, and then Chairman of the Committee for Youth and Physical
Culture till June 1990. A member of the Mieczyslaw Rakowski government,
then a cabinet minister and Chairman of the government Social-Political
Committee from October 1988 to September 1989. A participant at the
Round-Table negotiations, co-chairing with Tadeusz Mazowiecki and
Romuald Sosnowski the task group for trade union pluralism. A member of
the Polish United Workers' Party from 1977 to 1990. A co-founding member
of the Social Democratic Party of the Republic of Poland from January to
February 1990, and its first chairman till December 1995. One of the
founding members of the Democratic Left Alliance in 1991. A sports
activist in the Student Sports Union from 1975 to 1979 and the Polish
Olympic Committee (PKOL). PKOL president from 1988 to 1991.
Distinguished with the Golden Olympic Order of the International Olympic
Committee in 1998 and the Golden Order of Merit of the International
Amateur Athletic Federation in 1999, and in 2000 Order of Merit EOC
(European Olympic Committee).
Running for the Sejm (lower house of Parliament) from the Warsaw
constituency, he won the largest number of votes, 148,533 to be exact.
Leader of the parliamentary caucus of the Democratic Left Alliance in
the first and second term (1991-1995). A member of the Foreign Affairs
Committee and chairman of the Constitutional Committee of the National
Assembly from November 1993 to November 1995.
Aleksander Kwasniewski won the presidential elections for the first
time in 1995 on the election campaign slogans: "Let's choose the future"
and "Common Poland," collecting 51.7 percent of votes, against 48.3
percent cast on Lech Walesa. In a year 2000 he won again collecting
53,9% of votes in the first run. His election campaign slogan was: "The
home of all - Poland". Sworn into office on December 23rd, 1995, as
President of the Republic of Poland. On the same day, President
Kwasniewski took an oath as Superior of the Armed Forces at the First
Fighter Wing, "Warszawa", in Minsk Mazowiecki. On December 23rd, 2000 he
took his office for the second term.
A co-author of the Constitution draft and a mover of the referendum
campaign in favour of passing the Constitution of the Third Republic of
Poland, which he signed into law on July 16th, 1997. In 1996, President
Kwasniewski submitted the draft of a convention on fighting organised
crime to the UN. Took an active part in the efforts to see Poland in
NATO. Head of Poland's delegation at the Madrid and Washington summits
in 1997 and 1999 respectively. On February 26th, 1999, he signed the
instruments ratifying Poland's membership of NATO (during a joint
ceremony with the President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel). He
also took active part in further enlargement of an Alliance supporting
invitation for seven new states (NATO Summit 2002 in Prague) and the
'open door' policy. Following the September 11th 2001 events upon his
initiative and within antiterrorist coalition there was an international
conference organized in Warsaw with participation of leaders from
Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe to strengthen regional
activities in combating international terrorism. An advocate of regional
cooperation in Central and Eastern Europe. Host of the meeting of the
Presidents from the region at Lancut in 1996. An active participant at
such meetings in Portoroz in 1997, Levoczy in 1998, Lvov in 1999.
Jointly with Lithuania's President, the driving force behind the meeting
"Coexistence of Nations and Good-Neighbourly Relations: the Guarantee of
Security and Stability in Europe," held in Vilnius in 1997 and the
follow-up conference "Baltic-Black Sea Cooperation: Towards the
Integrated Europe of the 21st Century Free of Dividing Lines," held in
Yalta in 1999. Author of the 'Riga Initiative' (2002) - a forum for
cooperation of Central Europe states towards further enlargement of NATO
and the European Union.
Aleksander Kwasniewski also launched the following initiatives aimed
at reapprochement:
- between Poland and Germany by co-creating, among other things, a
programme of exchange for Polish and German youths "Jugendwerk" in
1986 (in the capacity of Minister for Youth Affairs), patronage over
the construction of Collegium Polonicum at the Viadrina University in
Slubice-Frankfurt on the Odra (inaugurated in October 1996), putting
forth the problem of mutual return of works of national culture in
December 1998, joint commemoration with the President of the Federal
Republic of Germany of the 60th anniversary of the outbreak of World
War II in September 1999
- beetween Poland and Ukraine - Polish-Ukrainian "Declaration on
Reconciliation" in May 1997, Polish-Ukrainian Self-Government Forum in
June 1999, proposal to erect a monument to the victims of Jaworzno
concentration camp (May 1998) and patronage over the reconstruction of
the Cemetery of Polish Eaglets in Lvov and Kharkov
- between Poles and Jews - launching and patronizing i.a. the
Auschwitz Programme, help initial the Auschwitz Declaration by the
Polish side and a coalition of Jewish Organisations, setting in motion
the process of restoring Polish citizenship to persons deprived of it
on the strength of political decisions taken in 1968, as well as
active participation in the work to regulate the state's attitude
towards Jewish religious communities.
Knight of the Order of the White Eagle
Decorated with the following highest orders:
- Lithuania's Order of Vytautas the Great, 1st grade (1996) and the
Order of Grand Lithuanian Duke Gedyminas, 1st grade;
- Great Britain's Knight Grand Cross of the Most Honourable Order of
the Bath (March 1996) and the Knight Grand Cross of the Most
Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (October 1996):
- Italy's Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
(1996);
- France's Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honour (1996);
- Norway's Royal Order of Saint Olaf (1996);
- Greece's Grand Cross of the Order of the Saviour (1996):
- Latvia's Order of Three Stars (1997);
- Finland's Grand Cross of the Order of the White Rose of Finland
with Collar (1997);
- Malaysia's Royal Order of Merit (1997);
- Ukraine's Order of Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class (1997);
- Portugal's Order of Infant Henry with Grand Ribbon (1997);
- Estonia's Grand Cross with the Ribbon of Terra Mariana (1998);
- Romania's Order of the Star of Romania with Ribbon (1999);
- Chile's Grand Chain of the Order of Merit (1999);
- Belgium's Grand Ribbon of the Order of Leopold (1999);
- Turkey's Order of the Republic (2000);
- Croatia's Great Order of King Tomislav with the Ribbon and Great
Star (2001);
- Spain's Order of Catholic Isabelle with Chain (2001)
- Federal Republic of Brasil's National Order of Southern Cross
(2002)
- Republic of Peru's Special Grand Cross of the Order of Merit
(2002)
- Federal Republic of Germany's Grand Cross of Merit (2002)
- Japan's Grand Ribbon of the Great Order of Chrysanthemum
Also decorated with the highest distinction of the Orthodox Church in
Poland: The Order of Saint Magdalena, first degree with decorations
(1998). Also honoured with television personality "Wiktor" prizes on
1993, 1995 and 2000.
Jolanta Kwasniewska -
spouse of the President of the Republic of
Poland The above is the text of the official biography posted by the Government of of the Republic of Poland during the period of Aleksander Kwasniewski's presidency
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