Lech Walesa will lead a Polish delegation to Tunisia with the aim of encouraging the democratic changes in there following the ousting of President Ben Ali in January.

Poland’s Foreign Ministry has announced that Walesa will be in Tunis from 28 to 30 April.

Walesa will travel to Tunisia at the invitation of the International Réalités Forum, run by Réalités magazine, one of the most influential in Tunisia.

Deputy Foreign Minister Krzysztof Stanowski said today that participation in the forum is the beginning of Polish involvement in the democratization of countries in North Africa, especially Tunisia.

Lech Walesa told reporters in Gdansk that he will be accompanied by MPs and various consultants, including economists.

Walesa said that he would go to Tunisia as "a revolutionary”.

"I will try to see if this is a similar struggle [to Poland’s] because there are also trade unionists protesting and struggling, So I can compare it and then I'll tell them my opinion, ” said the former Solidarity trade union leader, adding that at the moment he knows little about the situation in the country. (pg)

source: IAR