General Wojciech Jaruzelski gave a major television interview, Tuesday, explaining his view of Solidarity and the Roundtable talks of February 6 to April 4, that brought to an end communist rule in Poland in 1989.
The general, who is currently on trial for his role in declaring martial law in Poland in 1981, told the TVN 24 station that Solidarity only emerged in Poland when the time was ripe for it to do so: “Everything needs to mature," said the former communist leader, explaining why Poland had to wait to re-legalize Solidarity for so long after martial law and be brought into the governing process which culminated in the Round Table talks.
"It was in 1980 that I first started thinking about an agreement," claims Jaruzelski, alluding to the so-called “meeting of the three" in November 1981 that involved Primate Jozef Glemp and Solidarity leader Lech Walesa. Jaruzelski also stressed that as the meeting did not result in any clear solutions, further progress was much slower, “step by step," with numerous obstacles.
Although at first, the communist government led by Jaruzelski attempted to destroy Solidarity it eventually started negotiating with the union. The Roundtable talks between the government and the Solidarity - led opposition resulted in semi- free elections in 1989 - many of the seats in the parliament were allocated to communists.
1989 also saw the legalization of Solidarity, which, as Jaruzelski said, “was difficult to accept [for the government]," as the communists were reluctant to share power.
Jaruzelski admitted, however, that there was no other solution, as the Polish economy needed drastic reform and the participation of Solidarity leaders was crucial in that process.
The Roundtable talks were crucial, he now thinks, and he appears quite proud of his role in them. But he admits that mistakes were made, for instance, taking too long to bring into the process significant figures such as Jacek Kuron or Adam Michnik, who eventually did participate in the talks, supported by Lech Walesa.
“I am happy that it happened so," said Jaruzelski, adding that he did not bend under will of Walesa, but under circumstances which gave him no other option.
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General Wojciech Jaruzelski was chosen by the government to be prime minister of Poland in February 1981. A couple of months later, on 13 December, he imposed martial law. The debate whether the draconian laws imposed at that time - and the murders of protesting miners and others that followed - were necessary to stave off a Soviet invasion, continues. (is/pg)