Solaris Founder Krzysztof Olszewski Honoured with Kisiel Prize

Krzysztof Olszewski, founder and chairman of Solaris Bus & Coach, has been awarded the 2010 Kisiel Prize for his life’s work. The prize honours lasting commitment to the development of Poland. Together with Olszewski, this

year’s laureates are the illustrator Andrzej Mleczko and Jerzy Buzek, current President of the European Parliament and former Prime Minister of Poland.

The Kisiel Prize was established in 1990 by Polish composer, writer and journalist Stefan Kisielewski in conjunction with Wprost news magazine. Since his death in 1991, the prize honours contemporary Polish personalities whose work mirrors Kisielewski’s ideals. Kisielewski openly criticised Poland’s communist regime and any absurd authoritarian excesses, strongly advocating pragmatic thinking. The Kisiel Prize jury is made up of former laureates and awards the annual prize to one publicist, politican and entrepreneur each.

Krzysztof Olszewski was awarded the 2010 Kisiel Prize for his entrepreneurial work. Under a motto of “Poland takes buses into the world”, the jury acclaimed Olszewski’s success with Solaris Bus & Coach. Since it was founded in 1996, Solaris has grown to become one of Europe’s leading bus manufacturers.

Further Kisiel Prize laureates this year are the illustrator Andrzej Mleczko and the politcian Jerzy Buzek. Mleczko’s satirical drawings have provided a commentary of Polish politics and society since 1971. Buzek was a member of the Solidarność opposition movement in the 1980s before acting as Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001. He used his term in office to advance preparations for Poland’s entry into the European Union while reforming the administrative division of the country. Since 2009, Buzek has been President of the European Parliament.