Former Polish President and iconic labor leader Lech Wałęsa said he invited President Duterte to Poland during his courtesy call to Malacañang last week, hoping they could continue their exchange of views and learn from each other.
“We invited him to Poland because I think he is much interesting, and [it’s] very important to talk to him,” he told the BusinessMirror during an exclusive interview at a hotel in Makati.
Asked if Duterte accepted his invitation, Wałęsa, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1983 for his groundbreaking agreement on laborers’ rights between workers and the government, said he left it up to the Chief Executive to decide. “I did not push to inquire about the date; I understand that his visit must be scheduled.”
“I know very little about him, but it seems he is an interesting man, well-informed about the many problems [of the country], including European problems,” he added. “But from those information, he makes conclusion to help his country, [although] he has too little details to be an authority to say something,” the straight-talking Wałęsa, who toppled a communist regime some 35 years ago, continued.
The retired politician, known as the hero of the Polish democracy movement, added that, if Duterte could not make the visit to Poland during his six-year term, the trip to Warsaw could still be scheduled after his retirement.
“But if he is not able [to visit Poland] during his presidency, probably after he retires, so we can talk extensively.”
When asked whether United States President Donald J. Trump will succeed in his “America First” policy, this is what Wałęsa had to say: “He has a good diagnosis. But healing it, trying to cure the problem in the hospital is not right,” insinuating that America’s ills are too serious for Trump to cure.
“He does not have the idea, he doesn’t like what it is. But what you don’t like is one thing, what you want to do is another thing.”
Wałęsa said there was lack of discussion on how to address America’s unemployment, just like the other problems of the US. “But there was no discussion about it; he’s still using old ideas, painting himself into a corner and pushing out others. And the world is going in the other direction, the world is saying: ‘Open up, remove your boundaries.’”
Wałęsa said Trump wanted to be far away from the rest of the world. “That’s his mistake, but [it’s] good that he has diagnosis, so something good might come out of it.” Wałęsa noted that Trump is now facing a new world order.
“Look at Europe, two World Wars, revolutions, communism, France, solidarity, a lot of blood, but we finished it; we removed boundaries. We now have one monetary system; we’re building one Europe—the world should go into this direction.”
“And he’s [Trump] trying to push it back and come back to the past, he cannot do this as long as he has not tried to stop for a while and think about new developments.”
Wałęsa flew in on January 22 to give a lecture at the Asia Pacific University in Manila. He left on January 29.
Asked how he feels about his visit, he said: “This is a beautiful country; it is in development; there’s a lot of contrast, lot of beautiful things, but also some bad things.”
The 75-year-old Wałęsa, who has not lost his chubby physique, said he noted the big disparity between the rich and poor in the country.
“We have to level [the disparity]; the more we have equality, the better your situation. But it does not happen overnight, this is a country with lots of possibilities…and beautiful women.”
On seeing BusinessMirror photojournalist Alysa Salen, he asked to have a photo-op with her and commented: “Had I known her earlier, I would have stayed longer.”
Duterte, according to a Palace news release, recognized Wałęsa’s role as a labor leader and as president of his country. A politician who professes to stand up for rights of laborers, Duterte was reported to have sought advice from Wałęsa.
Poland opened its Embassy in the Philippines only on January 4 with the designation of its chargé d’affaires, beginning a new chapter in the Philippines-Poland relations after it closed its chancery in 1994.
Poland’s Ambassador to the Philippines will be selected soon, according to Malacañang. Wałęsa served as Poland’s president from 1990 to 1995.