 Bogusław Sonik
These are the events which have shaped me. They are the milestones in my life. They show what kind of person I am.
Bogusław Sonik was born in Krakow in 1953. He is a graduate of the Department of Law and Administration of the Jagiellonian University. Married with two children: Janeczka and Jacek.
European Parliament
As a member of Platforma Obywatelska (the Civic Platform), Bogusław Sonik belongs to the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) group, the largest in the European Parliament.
From 2009 to 2014 Bogusław Sonik will take up the following posts:
- Vice chairman of the Committee on Environment,
Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and
- Member of the Committee on Civil Liberties,
Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
The best member of the European Parliament from the Małopolska - Świętokrzyskie region from 2004 to 2009 (according to a report by the Instytut Kościuszki and academics from the Jagiellonian University, University of Economics and the Polish Academy of Sciences).
One of the most active and most efficient Polish members of the European Parliament according to:
- 2009 - a report by the Instytut Kościuszki,
- 2008 - a ranking list drawn up by Polish correspondents
in Brussels,
- 2007 - a report by Wrocław University,
- 2006 - nominated to the "Złote Skrzydła" award by the daily Super Ekspres for "not allowing European politicians to blather on about 'Polish concentration camps'. (...)
He spoke on behalf of the entire Polish nation. Struggling for an appropriate wording of the resolution to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, he demonstrated that we have our honour."
From 2004 to 2009 he worked on the following committees:
- Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety,
- Subcommittee on Human Rights
- Temporary Committee for Climate Change
- and interparliamentary delegations
His initiatives on behalf of the Małopolska and Świętokrzyskie regions allowed Sonik to deepen his knowledge about the problems of the region, its potential and opportunities for development. A strong relationship between Sonik and his constituency means that he is our reliable representative.
In the course of his work he has become involved in many issues which are important for the functioning of the entire European Union.
He is an expert on numerous European initiatives in culture and education including the European Committee initiative establishing the Culture programme 2007-2013, Citizens for Europe and European Capitals of Culture. He co-wrote numerous resolutions concerning the protection of human rights in countries such as Syria, Lebanon, Cuba and Byelorussia, the Republic of Moldova and particularly in Trans-Dniestr.
He has been done much to prepare a European Parliament resolution to commemorate the victims of holocaust, anti-Semitism and racism. He fought that the final version of the document approved on 27 January 2005 should refer to "Nazi Germany camps" in relation to concentration camps set up in Poland during World War 2.
He participated in legislative work on the REACH directive concerning the registration, assessment and permits for chemical substances. He defended the interests of Polish entrepreneurs in the course of legislative works on a directive concerning the definition, description, presentation and labelling of spirits.
According to a report prepared by the Wrocław University in June 2007 he is one of 10 most active members of the Polish delegation in the European Parliament.
"Solidarność"
As a student in the 1970's he became active in anti-communist opposition. He was a member of Beczka, a university chaplaincy run by the Dominicans. He also cooperated with Komitet Obrony Robotników (Committee for the Protection of Workers). Following the death of his friend Staszek Pyjas he and his other friends from the opposition founded Studencki Komitet Solidarności. (Student Solidarity Committee) 1980 saw his active participation in the creation and organisation of the Independent Solidarity Trade Union. He was the vice-president of the Małopolska region Solidarity management until 1982. He was the chairman of the Małopolska region delegation to the 1rst National Assembly of the Independent Solidarity Trade Union. He was interned on the first day of marshal law. in 1983 he started working in ZNAK publishing house and was one of the founders of a socio-cultural magazine called Arka published in the underground press.
The death of Stanisław Pyjas
At the beginning it was a conscious and organised opposition against the government. Staszek's death besides being a huge tragedy was also an immense challenge, an opportunity to test ourselves. The establishment of Students' Solidarity Committee meant we would not be intimidated. It was a time when we had to prove what we were worth. It was when we put everything on one stake and matured overnight.
Starting a family
This was the beginning of a happy part of my life in stark contrast to what surrounded us. It didn't mean cutting ourselves off from the rest of the world but rather expanding our circle of friends and being even more together.
Emigration
1983 marked the beginning of Sonik's 14-year-long stay in France. At first he organised aid for the underground structures of "Solidarność" and he studied at the Institute of Political Science in Paris. Apart from that he was also a honorary member of The Association of Polish Physicians in France and he initiated and supported their operations. In 1985 he began his work as journalist at the Polish Section of Radio France International and BBC, he also cooperated with the Polish Section of Deutschland Funk and he had his own programmes in Radio Free Europe. He published in "Tygodnik Powszechny". In 1990 he became the director of The Polish Institute in France and was nominated Minister Plenipotentiary of the Polish Embassy in Paris and he occupied both these positions until 1996. Together with the Municipality of Paris and other French cities he organised presentations of Polish culture and art. In 1993 he was given the medal of Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture, Jack Lang.
My stay in France
I thought I was going away for six months. The secret police wanted me to go for good but I refused. However, when my family joined me, we settled down and became involved in the opposition movement. This dozen years or so taught us the world, languages and gave us a chance to establish new contacts. But primarily is was a challenge which added a final touch on my adult personality.
Return to Poland
He returned to Poland in 1996 to become the Director of Kraków 2000 - European City of Culture Festival. This was the largest cultural event in Poland and lasted 4 years. At that time he managed to obtain an extra 54 million zloty for the culture, he set up the Festival Bureau and the Cultural Information Centre. He was the organiser of the Krakow edition of Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival which joined the prestigious European Festival Association as one of the key projects of Krakow 2000. Since 2001 Sonik has been on the board of The Association of European Cities and Months of Culture with its seat in Luxembourg. Following the flood of 1997 he embarked on a scheme to save the Kościuszko Mound in Krakow and managed to collect approx. 15 million zloty for its restoration. The Kościuszko Mound reopened to public in 2002. In cooperation with his friends from the Students' Solidarity Committee he established the Association May'77 which organises events propagating democracy, freedom of speech and human rights. He is active in the Institute of Heritage aiming to establish the European Culture Festival, and which also supports and promotes traditional professions, artistic craft and protects landscapes. In January 2003 he became the head of promotion of the city of Krakow and he helped establish a long-term promotion strategy for the city.
The breakthrough in 89
I was my first trip back to Poland, I was in Mitterand's press service at the time. I saw a system that was crumbling. I realised that we we facing a huge opportunity and that we needed to assume the responsibility for it. It was then that I decided to accept a proposal to become the head of the Polish Institute in Paris which was to show this new Poland and its culture to foreigners abroad.
Local government
In 1998 Bogusław Sonik became involved in local government and he was elected to the Voivodeship council. He became the Chairman of Małopolska Council and he worked for the region for two terms in office. He strove to develop tourism, protect cultural heritage and the environment. He came up with the idea of organising Małopolska Region days of Cultural Heritage and of building new bicycle paths. He supported the modernisation of flood banks, a scheme to save chestnut trees from the horse chestnut miner plague and to protect natural features of historic importance. In October 2002 he again ran in the local election recommended by Platforma Obywatelska and obtained one of the best results. He won the trust of councillors from Platforma Obywatelska and Prawo i Sprawiedliwość and he became the head of the largest group in the local government where he was the chairman of the Environmental Protection and Water Management Committee.
He supervised the implementation of projects financed from the European structural funds and the Voivodeship Environmental Protection Fund. He supports numerous initiatives for regional development including contracts with cheap airlines and agro-tourism. He is a delegate at the Association for Culture of European Cities and Regions (Les Rencontres). His interest in Europe has resulted in the formation of the first Polish European Association of Platforma Obywatelska. He is the author of numerous analyses on the European integration published in the "Rzeczpospolita" daily and in the local press.
Association May'77
The MEP is currently the chairman of the Association May'77 which was set up in March 2002. The objective of the association is to teach the truth about the times of the People's Republic of Poland and particularly about independent opposition movements including Students' Solidarity Committees. The members promote the idea of a democratic country of law and civic freedoms and they support cultural, academic and educational events.
The association also wants to raise young people's historical awareness and thus commemorate the Polish opposition movement. |
