15 August – the anniversary of the victorious 1920 Battle of Warsaw – marks Polish Armed Forces Day. To observe the occasion, the armed forces took part in a grand parade along Warsaw’s Wisłostrada throughfare, where spectators could see the very latest land and air equipment.

„What was the key to victory in 1920 was a strong and united nation”, emphasised the President of the Republic of Poland, Karol Nawrocki.

The pinnacle of the Polish Armed Forces Day celebrations was the ceremonial military parade. The President of the Republic of Poland, Commander–in–Chief of the Polish Armed Forces, presented certificates of appointment to the ranks of general and admiral to twenty–one officers of the Polish Army.

„After 1918, the Polish nation did not build its strength by thinking solely of prosperity and money. It was a nation sharing a vision, a strong nation and a strong society,” noted Karol Nawrocki – „while admittedly, it was politically divided”.

„But back then, in 1920, everyone knew that political disputes ended where the security of the Republic of Poland was at stake, where the soldier and the Polish Armed Forces were involved. That is why we prevailed in 1920, because a strong, resilient nation realised that in order to be able to argue about the future and about politics, one must first have the Polish state,” he emphasised.

„To be able to argue about Poland, one must defend Poland” – he pointed out. The President went on to say that everyone had stood together, side by side – farmers with landowners, and intellectuals with workers. „A strong, resilient nation secured victory in 1920. A nation united around its values,” he emphasised.

The President pointed out that as a nation, the Polish people know the price of freedom, independence and know the price of wars. He noted that, even today, the first fundamental step towards security is a strong and resilient nation that is aware of its direction, identity and purpose.

He emphasised that we need a robust Polish education system, patriotic upbringing and awareness of our history and future. We also need robust public finances and a commitment to developing infrastructure and the economy. “Only a strong nation can produce a strong army,” he emphasised.

„Let us not forget that we are one nation, and its security is more important than political disputes,” he cautioned.

As Commander–in–Chief of the Armed Forces, he pledged to ensure that the current government honour all the contracts entered into by the previous administration. He also promised to safeguard the current government’s sound projects from being overlooked amid political rivalry after the next parliamentary elections in 2027.

At the same time, he emphasised that the most important thing is investing in Polish soldiers, because courage cannot be bought. The President thanked the soldiers for safeguarding Poland’s security and their families for their support. „A nation’s strength lies in the strength of its soldiers,” he noted.

The President highlighted that, over the past year, he had fulfilled his responsibilities as Commander–in–Chief of the Armed Forces and as the Polish state’s representative on the international stage. His aim was to establish robust and authentic alliances in the 21st century that would ensure our security in the decades to come.

„The year 1920 and the resounding victory at the time demonstrate that the key to Poland’s security lies entirely in Warsaw,” the President argued. He added that we cannot lock our security away in a safe where the keys are held in other European capitals, no matter how friendly and how significant they are.

„If we are to heed the lessons of history from 106 years ago, we must recognise the fact that our security will be in the hands of Polish soldiers and commanders. Only then can we forge strong strategic alliances,” he pointed out.

The President was accompanied by his Spouse, the Head of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland, Zbigniew Bogucki, and the Chancellery’s senior leadership. The Head of the National Security Bureau, Bartosz Grodecki also took part in the ceremonies on the Wisłostrada.

A military parade took place on the Wisłostrada thoroughfare in Warsaw, while a naval parade was held in Gdańsk Bay on the Baltic Sea. Several thousand soldiers from all branches of the armed forces and allied armies took part in the parade and review, which included land, air and sea elements. The finest and most modern military equipment was on display.

In the morning, the President and his Spouse laid a wreath at the Monument to Marshal Józef Piłsudski at the Belvedere Palace. The Presidential Couple also attended a Mass for the Homeland. This was followed by a Changing of the Guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Karol Nawrocki laid a wreath on behalf of the nation at the Tomb.

Source: www.president.pl

Photos: KPRP