Poland after the Victory of "Solidarity"

Following the historic Round Table talks in 1989, Poland took a decisive step from authoritarianism to democracy. The agreements between the government and the Solidarity movement paved the way for political transformation: the office of the president and the Senate were restored, the first semi-free elections were held, and by December of the same year, the name "Polish People's Republic" disappeared altogether.

A difficult path of change began: the dissolution of the Communist Party, economic shock therapy, lustrations, political instability — and, at the same time, the building of a new Poland. By 2005, the country had undergone a massive transformation and emerged as a leader of democratic development in Central Europe.

This Sunday, our space will host a conversation with former Leningrad City Council deputy Vitaly Skoibeda and historian Vadim Lifshits, where we will discuss Poland’s pivotal 1990–2005 period — the reforms, the mistakes, the victories, and the price of freedom.