Ważne wydarzenia polityczne w Polsce, w latach 1999-2000 - Important political events in Poland in the years 1999-2000

For some Poles events of this period are more important from a political point of view, for others because of their cultural and economical significance. One of the most important events in 1999 was Poland's accession to NATO. The day of 12th March 1999 will be remembered for a long time. Becoming a member of NATO our country has started to be seen by foreigners as a stable country and it has strengthened Poland's position on the international scene.

The new year of 1999 began with the introduction of the four reforms: the administrative system reform, the educational reform, the health service reform and the pension system reform. Our country is now divided into sixteen provinces instead of the old forty-nine. As far as the educational reform is concerned it consists in a new division of schools including the new primary school (6 years), the junior secondary (3 years) and senior secondary schools (grammar schools, vocational schools and technical schools - 3 years). Thanks to the health service reform one can choose a practice and a doctor. The pension system reform makes it possible for us to choose a pension fund that will pay out our pension money when we retire.

The year 1999 is also a year of social crisis, protests of anaesthesiologists, farmers, nurses who were fighting for decent salaries. It was in this year that politicians were screened to find out whether they had co-operated with the Communist Secret Service in the past.

In the June of 1999 Pope John Paul II came to Poland. He unified the nation and his pilgrimage brought a lot of joy and hope, and the cream cakes craze. He mentioned them when talking about his youth and now these cream cakes sell extremely well all over Poland.
This time was also important for Polish cinema. Such blockbusters as Ogniem i mieczem and Pan Tadeusz were released and Andrew Wajda received an Oscar for his work as film director.

The year 1999 and the first part of the year 2000 were a time of important changes for us, the Poles who are still striving for access to the European Union in order to create a new Europe.

[Arkadiusz Szymczak]