“With your votes and a record turnout on 15 October, the 10th Sejm has its strongest mandate ever. I am also looking forward to meeting you in and outside the Sejm buildings, all over Poland”, said Sejm Speaker Szymon Hołownia in his inaugural address on Thursday.

Speaker Hołownia stressed that “the Sejm is first and foremost to serve those Poles who do not attend it every day. It will be closer to ordinary, everyday matters”.

The newly elected Speaker of the Sejm announced that the first changes had already been introduced. The barriers that have unnecessarily separated the Sejm from the Poles for the past seven years have disappeared. We are opening the Sejm to the media again” he said. There will be more changes, but I want to assure you: these will be safe changes”, he added.

“We have also decided to extend the Presidium of the Sejm to include representatives of all parliamentary clubs, from the Left Party to the Confederation. This is required out of respect for your votes. Because democracy is the rule of the majority, with respect for the rights of the minority”, stressed Szymon Hołownia, adding that he is keen to talk to people who hold important state functions “no matter by which party they were appointed”. “I want to listen to people whose voice has not been sufficiently taken into account in recent years”, said Szymon Holownia.

In his address, the Speaker of the Sejm also announced that he would meet with President Andrzej Duda on Friday 17 November to “assure him of the need to quickly form a new government that will immediately address the real issues of the Polish people: lowering the cost of living, ensuring security”. “In the coming days, I will invite the Ombudsman to a meeting to talk about the participation of ordinary citizens in the work of the Sejm”, announced Speaker Holownia.

Adrian Andrzejewski