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Ladies and Gentlemen of the House,

It is for the seventh time since the parliamentary elections in 1989 that the Polish people have elected their representatives to the Sejm and the Senate through their democratically cast vote. I wholeheartedly congratulate you on being elected, I congratulate you on the confidence that you have earned among your Compatriots, the electorate. It is indeed a great honour and also a great responsibility. The outset of the new parliamentary term in office always prompts a natural reflection on Poland’s most pressing needs in terms of securing its continued development, and on the expectations that the Polish people have for the forthcoming years. You will be, Ladies and Gentlemen of the House, revisiting those essential questions on many occasions in you work and your debate. The question about what is most important to Poland and Poles will prominently feature in your disputes and discussions, but be it as it may, I am confident you will always seek the best answers. See also: The President at the Opening Sessions of the Sejm and the Senate

Taking the opportunity afforded by the opening of the new 7^th term of the Polish Sejm, I would also like to share my own opinion on the subject. The great national effort made in the last twenty two years has lead Poland to a remarkable success. We have achieved civilisation’s progress and joined the group of highly developed countries. The average standard of living of the Polish people has improved. Poland has managed to avoid the crisis which gives the credit to the policies pursued in recent years and also to many years’ consistent effort to build the Polish economy on sound foundations. This is the achievement of the entire Third Republic of Poland. This is the achievement of us all. Self-confidence, ambition, industry, diligence and optimism of the Polish people have produced the fruit of continued economic growth also in the difficult crisis years. We are proud of our attainments: those small ones, scored by individual enterprises and local authorities, as much as the big ones, which win plaudits for Poland among many nations, world opinion-leaders, important global institutions. Let us remember, though, that sustainable economic development also entails creativity and innovation, and the capacity to effectively compete, also by means of teamwork and cooperation. But it entails competitiveness. In the elections of October 9, the majority of the Polish people spoke in favour of continuation of the policy pursued until now. I believe this will be a bold continuation! Since it will be incumbent on the new Sejm and the new Government to take their decisions in the times which are difficult for Europe and the world. Nothing else but bold and prudent actions by Members of Parliament and the Government will allow Poland to continue down the path of stable economic growth, while also enhancing the competitiveness of our country economically and politically, on a global scale. There are many tasks in store for us. Let me flag up a number of challenges which I see as the most important ones.

The first one is to improve the quality of the functioning of the state. The strength of a democratic state depends on its efficiency and the confidence it enjoys among the citizens. Indeed, a better quality in the functioning of the state is what Polish people expect. We know that it is the state that is for the citizens and not the other way round.

Nevertheless, in spite of many major changes for the better which have been made, bureaucratic procedures continue to be cumbersome. Likewise, the quality, transparency and stability of laws made are not sufficient. There is a pressing need to lay down the law-making process and as well as procedures to bring legislation into effect. We must improve our judicial system. Court trials in both criminal and economic matters are by far too lengthy. This results in lesser confidence among citizens and adversely affects the functioning of the economy. Another great task is to enhance public confidence in the state and to increase mutual trust in people-to-people relations and in social life, also including parliamentary life.

The motto: ‘United we stand, divided we fall’, was not a mere electoral slogan, it was an expression of my profound conviction that I also wish to reiterate today, namely that concord benefits resolution of difficult and most important problems of the nation, state, and society. The Polish-Polish warfare among the elites results not only in the poor quality of political debate but is also detrimental for the pursuit of effective solutions, even on the local level. We should know how to cooperate with each other on important questions, also given the natural and obvious differences which stem from different views and different ideas about how to solve Polish problems. Different but, as I firmly believe, driven by the willingness to best serve Poland and Poles. We are building civic society. In line with the Constitutional principle of subsidiarity, the tasks which can be completed by citizens should not be delivered by the state. Let us, therefore, strengthen civic organizations which in many instances are highly professional and fulfil important roles already today. Thanks to their operations, an individual is not alone in the face of difficulties and can always rely on help and support from the others. Since there is nothing worse than the sense of loneliness and helplessness in the trying times. We must, therefore, counteract the phenomenon of social exclusion; this is one of the most important preconditions for our further economic growth. This brings us to the issue of the quality of education. Let us spare no effort to make sure that the school of the future not only imparts knowledge most effectively but also, most importantly, teaches the sense of responsibility for oneself and for the whole of Poland. Another great challenge is posed by problems arising from demographic trends. In recent years, the average life expectancy of the Polish people has substantially grown. This is a major achievement but further demographic projections for Poland prompt anxiety and a deeper reflection. A demographic strategy is a challenge which certainly exceeds the time frame of one parliamentary term or even a few terms. That being said, we should get down to work already now to start developing it and to tailor our decisions to fit this strategy. We need to find an answer to the question what to do so that future pensions ensure economic independence to the elderly. To this end, we must take many cohesive and comprehensive measures. What is needed, therefore, is an honest public debate on a gradual raising of the retirement age so as to make it possible to benefit from the work of those capable of continuing their careers, while at the same time respecting the acquired rights. For a failure to take action in this respect would adversely affect pension levels and reduce our cultural and economic potential.