Lech Walesa will join the EU Wise Men Group, whose composition has finally been accepted by the 27 member state leaders at the EU summit in Brussels.

The candidacy of Lech Walesa, the legendary leader of the Solidarity trade union, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former President of Poland, was supported by Poland’s PM Donald Tusk, who sought for its support in several European capital cities.

The current President of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, opposed Walesa’s presence in the Wise Men Group, but during the summit he refrained from speaking about it.

The EU Reflection Group, dubbed the ‘Wise Men’ Group, is an advisory body of the EU. The group is to reflect on the future of Europe in the long-term, especially on how the EU should react to climatic changes and solve problems of immigration and terrorism. The group consist mainly of politicians, as well as of experts in European integration, international relations, economy, finance and industry. Former Spanish Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez was chosen to lead the group. (jm)