Karol Zienkiewicz/PAP

Poland’s ruling party leader and deputy prime minister has said that the forthcoming parliamentary election will be the most significant one since 1989, when the first partially-free ballot was held in Poland.

“It is necessary to be aware of what is at stake during the forthcoming election,” Jaroslaw Kaczynski said in Chelm, south-eastern Poland, on Sunday.

“It is being said that it will be the most important ballot since 1989 but such a statement has often been made with regard to earlier elections,” he continued, adding that, “in comparison with the situation from four or eight years ago, the situation has changed considerably.”

The first partially-free parliamentary election, which was held in Poland on June 4, 1989, brought an end to the communist rule in Poland and paved the way for its transition to a democratic state.

The election, which resulted in a huge victory for the democratic opposition, marked the onset of the fall of communism across Central and Eastern Europe.

Kaczynski stated that what would come next was very important as it would likely be decisive to the fate of Poland and the Polish people.

Referring to the current situation in Ukraine and the presence of the Wagner mercenary group in Belarus, Kaczynski said that the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party was the grouping which could guarantee security.

“It is us, Law and Justice (PiS) and the United Right, which are the grouping of security, that knows how to ensure security, not only in words, but also in actions,” the PiS leader said.

Poland will hold a general election this autumn.