Former Polish President Lech Walesa has denied allegations once again that he was a communist spy working for the secret police (SB).
The move by the former president comes after news that a forthcoming book, written by Institute of National Remembrance (IPN) historians Sławomir Cenckiewicz and Piotr Gontarczyk, will allege that Lech Walesa was personally signed up to the SB in 1970 and given the codename Bolek.
In an interview with the TVN24 news channel, Mr. Walesa said that he has evidence of the undercover officer's real identity, and that he knows the agent personally.
Lech Walesa said that he does not want to reveal the officer's identity himself, but would like the authors of the IPN document to reveal it themselves. He added, however, that he will give the name of the SB officer if the authors fail to do so.
The historians from IPN – which investigates crimes against Poland by the Nazis and Communists - allege that by 1976 Lech Walesa stopped working for the SB, and became loyal to his opposition colleagues in the Solidarity trade union.
The former president has commented on the document being released on the 25th anniversary of his Nobel Peace Prize as ‘hardly a coincidence’. (jb)