Posted on 08/23/2006 10:46:35 AM PDT by lizol
Lech Walesa: I didn't leave Solidarity - it left me
Aug 23, 2006, 15:02 GMT
Warsaw - Lech Walesa, legendary leader of Poland's freedom- fighting Solidarity trade union, has parted ways with the organisation after it endorsed twin brothers Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski and their right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party last year.
'I had a meeting with Solidarity and the National Commission when it decided to back the PiS and the Kaczynskis,' Walesa said in an interview published in Wednesday's Dziennik daily.
'It was obvious that we differ. So we went our separate ways,' Walesa said. 'I didn't leave them - they left me.'
'I tried to explain to them they were making a mistake, but they didn't listen,' Walesa said. 'When they backed the Kaczynskis, I thought it was a mistake, but they wouldn't be convinced.'
While the news was only made public this week, Walesa actually gave up his membership card in Solidarity - the first the trade union issued in 1980 - late last year after the union backed PiS and the Kaczynskis in parliamentary and presidential elections which they won in September and October 2005.
The right-wing PiS scored a surprise victory over Walesa's favoured liberal Civic Platform (PO) in September parliamentary elections.
The victory led to a second upset in the October presidential election when Lech Kaczynski snatched victory from front-running PO candidate Donald Tusk.
Like Walesa, both Kaczynski brothers were loyal and active members of the Solidarity anti-communist opposition throughout the 1980s.
Lech Kaczynski was a close advisor to Walesa when he led Solidarity as the only free trade union in the Soviet bloc.
Elected Poland's first democratic president in the post-war era in 1990, Walesa again nominated Kaczynski Security Minister but then fired him over differences by 1993.
He has since been feuding with the twins. Walesa has sharply criticised the Kaczynski brothers as having destructive tendencies that could damage Poland domestically and undermine its position in the international arena.
Lech Walesa has also decided not to participate in ceremonies marking the 26th anniversary of the founding of the Solidarity trade union scheduled for August 31 in Gdansk.
Walesa made history on August 31, 1980 signing the 'August Agreements' with then communist authorities which established Solidarity as the first free and only trade in the entire Soviet bloc.
Nine years later it negotiated a bloodless end to communism in Poland with the Round Table agreements which ushered in partially democratic elections.
Trying to figure out Polish politics gives me 'tired head.'
Sounds like the dimocRAT party. It LEFT me.
Perhaps Mr. Walesa has a more Catholic socialist belief system than Poland's new government. A Pope John Paul II ethic that doesn't have as much faith in economic freedom and free markets as the new Polish government does.
Ronald Reagan had a similar experience when he used to state that his conversion from Democrat to Republican was based on the fact that "he didn't leave the Democratic Party, the Democratic Party left me."
Lord, I miss that man.
At last you wrote long post without “!!!” and it serve you right. Knowing Walesa’s views theoretically he should support current government.
GOOD Analysis. I think Walesa was a brave man a legend in his time. However, I think his time was over. Boris Yeltsin was a great figure in Russian politics. He risked his life to stop the coop by the communists thugs, and set the country on the right political path. Of course, later as President, he failed in many ways to solidify that direction to pluralistic democracy.
That's the point.
This is why I have very mixed feelings about this situation.
You may have that right but as far as I know and understand Poland is still on our side in the War on Terrorism so I guess that's something we can be glad for.
Yes, they have done fine, both open and covert.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.