LI mourns the loss of a dedicated Liberal
This past weekend, former Polish Foreign Minister and MEP for the ALDE group, Bronislaw Geremek, was tragically killed in a car crash. Mr. Geremek was a key political figure in Poland and Europe and liberals everywhere are lamenting this sad loss to the worldwide liberal cause.
LI President Lord Alderdice expressed his deep regret over the loss of Mr.
Geremek: 'Mr. Geremek was a genuine liberal who exemplified his deep belief in his political convictions by tirelessly advocating personal freedom as indispensable for the prosperity of a nation and its people. Bronislaw Geremek understood and embraced the view that the ongoing suffering in the developing world was not simply the problem of those nations, but of the whole global community. From his direct hand in toppling communism in Poland to leading his country into NATO, Bronislaw Geremek's accomplishments will not soon be forgotten. All who worked with him will continue in the liberal struggle to face the challenges of our world, energized by the charisma and conviction of spirit that characterized him. His role as a true statesman will remain an inspiration for generations to come, firmly entrenched in the history books of Poland and our common European home.'
LI President Lord Alderdice, ALDE group leader Graham Watson and ELDR (and former LI) President Annemie Neyts have all expressed their regret over this sad loss
Born Jewish in Warsaw, Geremek survived the Holocaust, escaping from the Warsaw ghetto when he was 11 and remained in hiding until the end of the war. His father died at Auschwitz.. In the early 1980s through his political actions, Mr. Geremek contributed directly to the erosion of communism in Poland, which finally resulted in its complete dissolution. After only a brief 10 years of rebuilding, he scored another success for his country by successfully bringing Poland into the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. In 2001, he founded the Democratic Union (later merged into The Freedom Union), led its European election campaign and, once elected MEP, missed the Presidency of the European Parliament by only a few votes.