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On April 23, the European Awards Commission of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, awarded distinctions to three Polish towns in appreciation of their accomplishments in environmental protection and cooperation in the field of culture with twinned cities in Eastern and Western Europe:
Suwalki: Honorary Badge of the Council of Europe
Gdynia: Honorary Flag of the Council of Europe
Rakoniewice (near Poznan): Honorary Diploma of the Council of Europe.
As he opened a photo exhibition entitled "Poland and Lithuania-Close Neighbourhood" at the Sejm on April 25, Sejm Marshal Józef Zych said that the two countries were friends that were cooperating in an exemplary manner. According to Adam Dobroński (PSL), chairman of the Polish-Lithuanian Parliamentary Group, the exhibition, prepared by the Polish Press Agency PAP, proves that Lithuania's matters are very close to Polish parliamentarians. He added that the exhibition was evidence of the very close cooperation of the parliaments of the two countries and of both Parliamentary Groups, the Polish-Lithuanian and the Lithuanian- Polish one.
A similar exhibition was simultaneously stages at the Lithuanian Sejm.
On April 25, during the second part of the Session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Sejm Marshal Józef Zych paid a visit to Strasbourg.
During the two-day visit, the Marshal met with Council of Europe Secretary General Daniel Tarschys and with Leni Fischer, Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly. During the meetings, the Marshal emphasised Poland's consistent striving for full membership of the European security and cooperation structures. Both Daniel Tarschys and Leni Fischer emphasised the activity of the Standing Delegation of the Sejm and Senate in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, pointing out that cooperation within the Council was an important stage of Poland's inclusion in the European structures.
Zych also met with a Russian delegation, headed by Duma Speaker Gennadi Seleznev.
On April 26, the visiting Prime Minister of the Irish Republic, John Burton, was received by Senate Marshal Adam Struzik and Deputy Marshal of the Sejm Olga Krzyżanowska. On the second day of his visit to Poland, the Premier also met with deputies and senators from the Polish-Irish Parliamentary Group.
During his meeting with the visitor, Marshal Struzik pointed to Poland's hopes connected with Ireland's chairmanship of the European Union in the second half of 1996.
The Marshal told the press after the meeting that one of the subjects raised was the possibility of Ireland's assistance in the restructuring of the Polish agriculture, which was promised in November last year by Irish Vice Premier Dick Spring. Another topic was the development of Irish assistance in the development of tourism and agritourism in Poland. According to Struzik, the talks also concerned financial problems of health care systems in European countries and Premier Burton cautioned Poland against radical privatisation in this domain.
Adam Struzik voiced satisfaction with the constant improvement of Polish-Irish inter- parliamentary contacts. He said that a delegation of Irish MPs headed by chairman of the upper chamber of parliament would be coming to Poland shortly.
Deputy Marshal Olga Krzyżanowska pointed to the animation of Polish-Irish relations. John Burton stressed that he was the first Irish prime minister to visit Poland. He assured the Polish side about his country's support for Poland's future membership of the European Union.
During the meeting with deputies and senators from the Polish-Irish parliamentary group, Burton pointed out that both in Poland and Ireland the parliaments were faced with the need of solving many controversial issues by legislative means. He voiced the hope for the development of bilateral contacts and the exchange of experience between the two parliaments.
"The May 3rd holiday commemorates the day when the citizens of the Republic of Poland voiced their will and desire to live in a modern state," Sejm Marshal Józef Zych said at a meeting with the diplomatic corps held at the Sejm on May 7 on the occasion f the anniversary of the May 3rd, 1791 Constitution, which is an official holiday in Poland.
The Marshal said that Poland's future within the European and Euro-Atlantic structures was the objective of a great majority of Poles, irrespective of their political allegiances. These priorities are no obstacle to maintaining friendly relations with all the democratic countries in the world, however.
Zych emphasised that the May 3rd Constitution, which was the first modern constitution in Europe, came ahead of its time and stemmed from the common European tradition, which embodies the Christian ideals, the principles of Roman law and the European thought of the Enlightenment period.
"Present-day Europe wants peace, freedom and democracy," Zych went on. He stressed that the present European Union is a vision of a lawful state on a continent-wide scale and its goals are the rule of law and compatibility. The Sejm Marshal added that while passing its laws, the Sejm wished to take advantage of the experience of the EU countries, which is why its representatives have developed relations with members of European inter-parliamentary organisations.
Speaking on behalf of the diplomats, Norwegian Ambassador Arnt Rindal conveyed congratulations to the Marshal in connection with the Polish holiday and wished the parliament success in the work on the new constitution.
A delegation from the Belgian-Polish Parliamentary Group, headed by Jacques Lefevre, chairman of the Belgian Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, member of the House of Representatives, visited Warsaw.
On May 7, the visitors were received by Senate Deputy Marshal Grzegorz Kruczuk. The discussion centred on the aspects of Polish-Belgian relations that need to be attended to. The sides discussed in depth the problems related to three agreements that have not been ratified yet: the agreement on facilitations in the implementation of a convention concerning civil procedure, the agreement on legal assistance in penal cases and the agreement on the recognition and execution of rulings concerning alimony.
Deputy Marshal Kruczuk also reminded the visitors about a proposal for a Polish-Belgian treaty submitted by Poland in September 1994. While speaking on international policy matters, he emphasised Poland's aspirations to membership of European structures and NATO in particular. Poland, he said, sought integration with these structures and wished to maintain the best possible relations with all its neighbours and in all fields.
On May 8, the delegation was received by Sejm Marshal Józef Zych.
"We highly assess our cooperation with the Belgian parliament," he said, adding that the Sejm was "especially interested in the role of the Belgian parliament in legislative activity and in cooperation in the field of internal affairs and justice." Lefevre said Belgium was attentively following the Polish reforms and privatisation and understood the concern to provide a welfare umbrella to those most in need of one. He added that it was important "for contacts between Poland and Belgium to take place not only on the political or parliamentary plane but also in trade."
Marshal Zych voiced his appreciation of Belgium's support for the idea of enlargement of the European Union and stressed the unchangeability of Poland's foreign policy priorities.