Friday 29 August was really a day of horror. All of a sudden everybody learned that arrests had begun in Warsaw, Łódź and Wrocław. It seemed that, at a time when the negotiations gathered momentum, the authorities decided to stake on strength. This is how that was perceived by all. In the Shipyard someone approached and told me: “Listen, take your people and leave the shipyard. By the evening at the latest.” I ask what happened, why. “Tanks are likely to enter at night” -„This is impossible, impossible” - I say. I knew perfectly that everything was possible, but I did not want to immediately believe and I said: “I cannot do it; we have been here from the very beginning.”

The situation becomes increasingly difficult, the strikes spread, the demands escalate. I admit that I don’t know what else could be done apart from what we are doing. The party is demobilised, our people do not believe that we will get the situation under control. [...]

Regarding the free trade unions - there are more and more people coming out in favour of them. I am opposed. But the situation is as we see, we are facing a general strike. Perhaps one should choose lesser evil and try to sort things out later.

There were those on this forum who spoke about declaration of a state of emergency - this is not envisaged by our constitution. Only martial law, but it cannot be declared, either, for how can one enforce its rigours when the whole country goes on strike. This is unrealistic. One should refrain from issuing laws that cannot be enforced.