The Emblem was handed in recognition of "the exceptional service for Poland in accordance with the message of Ryszard Kaczorwski - the last President of II Republic of Poland, that is: to carry the flag of Poland high". - To carry the white and red banner high means to be proud of one's Polishness, to care about Poland and to deem the nation's welfare more important than one's interests and peace. In this respect, the message of the President Ryszard Kaczorowski is implemented by Michał Maciej Lisiecki, an entrepreneur who set his sights on retaining the spirit of Polishness in the media. The publisher who understands, like few others, that the media stand for both the capital that supports them and the interests of such capital - as explained in the laudation by professor Wiesław Jan Wysocki, the chairman of The Institute's Managament Board. In recognition of the service to the benefit of Polish national interest, the courage and perseverance and the support in structuring Polish public debate, we are honoured to hand over the very emblem - the symbol of values which both sparked the democratic and free Polish State and guarded it, to Mister Michał Maciej Lisiecki - the publisher of "Wprost" and "Do Rzeczy" weekly magazines. This is a great distinction and a huge obligation for the future - as professor Wysocki explained the celebration of the PMPG chairman's activity.
- Michał Maciej Lisiecki did not give into political and economic pressure. He has always put the welfare of Poland and the freedom of speech on the first place, even in such values were against the interest of the publishing house. Today, in the name of all those who cherish the legacy of II Republic of Poland and its values, all those who walk the path trodden by the president Ryszard Kaczorwski and who continue pursuing his goals, we would like to honour Michał Maciej Lisiecki for his day-to-day proving that one is able to carry a white and red banner high even in their business activities - professor Wysocki added.
The genesis of the motto followed by the last President of II Republic of Poland, which laid foundations for honouring Michał Maciej Lisiecki, was elaborated by Mr. Jan Tarczyński, PhD. the former head of the president Kaczorowski's cabinet. During one of the scoutmaster Kaczorowski's visitations in a scout camp in the United States of America, one of the local firemen noticed that the American flag hung a few centimetres lower than the adjacent Polish counterpart. The fact led to the police intervention and the consecutive raising of the American flag. Jan Tarczyński also added that Ryszard Kaczorowski was the first to spread the word on The Poles' capture of Monte Cassino, where (as Kornel Morawiecki recalled during the celebration) they hung a white and red banner higher than the allies' flags.
Expressing his gratitude for the distinction, Michał Maciej Lisiecki recalled that the previous year "Wprost" weekly magazine published stenographic records which triggered the so called wire tapping affair. He asserted that, as a publisher he "did everything he could to be absolutely sure that no foreign superpower or intelligence was responsible for the affair". We were alleged to have followed commercial incentives, which are not true, for none economically motivated publisher would make a difficult decision like I along with my editorial section and the family made. Publishing the records was nothing more than risk - he stressed and thanked his contemporary journalistic team and the family, which also supported him in the decision.
Michał Maciej Lisiecki emphasized that: "media are indeed the fourth power and they sometimes show it, but if they can be referred to as the power they have to act responsibly". This is how the chairman of PMPG understands the role of his publishing house.
- 20 years of relentless media development - from the student magazine "Dlaczego", through "Film" and "Machina" monthly to salvaging "Wprost" from its miserable financial situation. The task was achieved with purely Polish capital, which is quite important since 75 per cent of media was sold to foreign capital - he said and added that even the 24 per cent of media market which remained in Polish capital is at internal variance. - This condition resembles Poland a bit - divided in half, but I call for unity and cooperation. I see myself as a person of conciliation. I am a man of the golden mean - stressed Lisiecki. He also quoted the president Richard Nixon's words, who convinced that "the society best benefits from the situation where the government and the media are opponents".