Soviet Troops Should Withdraw, Warsaw Pact Should Dissolve, Says Former Minister

Jacek Czaputowicz, who served as Poland's foreign minister under the Law and Justice (PiS) government and was a prominent figure in the democratic opposition during the communist era, reflects on Poland's strategic positioning in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He emphasizes that the government led by Tadeusz Mazowiecki aimed to reform the Warsaw Pact and establish Poland's security framework around the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE).

The idea of joining NATO, Czaputowicz notes, only became a practical consideration in 1992, during the premiership of Jan Olszewski. This indicates a gradual shift in Poland's foreign policy and security aspirations as the geopolitical landscape evolved following the decline of Soviet influence.

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The government of Tadeusz Mazowiecki wanted to reform the Warsaw Pact and base Poland's security on the CSCE. Membership in NATO only became a matter of course in 1992 under the government of Jan Olszewski.

Czaputowicz also highlights the significant role of the "Freedom and Peace" movement, which he co-led. He describes the movement as a crucial force in maintaining social resistance and defining the agenda for opposition against the ruling authorities. The article references a photograph of an action in defense of individuals imprisoned for refusing military service or to swear allegiance to the Red Army, depicting activists Radosław Huget and Dariusz Rupiński.

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The 'Freedom and Peace' movement sustained social resistance, defined the agenda of disputes with the authorities, and posed the main challenge to them.