Poles to Drop May Day Parade; It’s a Bore and Expensive

Poland’s Communist Party is dropping the traditional May Day parade in Warsaw this year because party members complained it was too long, boring and expensive.

It will be replaced by a rally in a central square lasting no more than 40 minutes, followed by folk dancing, fairs and sports, the party daily Trybuna Ludu said over the weekend.

In addition, the independent Solidarity trade union, restored to legality last week after a seven-year ban, has received permission to hold its own parade in a northern district of the capital.

The official May Day parades, long a major event in the Communist calendar, lasted more than three hours. Tens of thousands marched through the streets behind party leaders and the event was televised live.

“For a long time now, and in particular last year, the Warsaw party committee has received letters expressing doubts about the traditional way of celebrating May Day,” Trybuna Ludu said.