WALESA GIVES $200,000 NOBEL CASH TO POLAND
Author: Associated Press
Date: Saturday, January 6, 1990
Page: 2
Section: NATIONAL/FOREIGN
WARSAW -- Lech Walesa, the Polish labor leader, has donated the $200,000
he received for winning the Nobel Peace Prize to a fund created to rebuild the
country.
Walesa made the announcement in a statement released at the Solidarity
headquarters in Gdansk on Thursday.
"The Nobel Prize I received in 1983 was at the same time a prize for the
whole movement of reforms called Solidarity. The desire to give the prize
money for a most worthy purpose held me back against a hasty decision," Walesa
said.
"Today, the fact that Solidarity has taken over responsibility for the
country in such a difficult period for society makes me donate the sum of
$200,000 to the National Gift Fund."
Reviving a prewar tradition of appealing to the nation for help, the
National Assembly approved creation of the fund in early December.
People may donate anything from cash to jewelry to the fund, which will be
used to help the country and citizens who face financial problems as Poland
moves toward a market-oriented economy.
Solidarity swept to victory in parliamentary elections in June. Walesa's
adviser, Tadeusz Mazowiecki, was elected in August to be the East bloc's first
non-Communist premier.
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