Freedom without Solidarity ?

A video clip produced by the European Commission on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the fall of Communism, does not show any pictures of the legendary Polish 'Solidarity' freedom movement, which cracked the Soviet dictatorship in Eastern Europe. Instead, it focuses on the fall of Berlin wall, and briefly reviews events in other countries.

Poland appears in the clip only for several seconds... we can see a piece of original TV footage, featuring Wojciech Jaruzelski proclaiming the martial law in 1981. The rest is footage from the re-enactment of historical events, staged in 1990s at the earliest, as the only banner captured on the tape is one with the logo of "Gazeta Polska" newspaper, established in 1993.

The clip then goes on to show pictures from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Romania, Hungary and Germany. Poland does not appear there any more. Nor is the historic 'Solidarity' movement which cracked the Soviet dictatorship, initiating the fall of Communism in Europe, ever mentioned. Reportedly, the first version of the clip was even more biased - it focused mainly on the fall of Berlin wall.

Head of the Polish Comittee for European Integration Mikołaj Dowgielewicz said the Polish side will ask for explanations about the controversial clip.

Source: Polish Radio 16.05.2009