Lech Walesa Gives Nobel Prize Money to Fund to Aid Poles
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WARSAW — Lech Walesa gave away his Nobel Peace Prize money today to help relieve the economic hardships facing the Polish people in 1990.
Walesa, who won the prize in 1983 for his role in creating the Solidarity trade union, said he was giving the $200,000 to a National Gift Fund set up to provide emergency help for health services, social welfare and education.
He made the announcement as new details emerged of the hardships Poles face under an economic program introduced Monday by the Solidarity-led government.
Labor Minister Jacek Kuron said the International Monetary Fund expects the program to cause 1 million unemployed this year--more than twice the 400,000 forecast by the government.
The new estimate, 5.6% of the 17.9-million-strong work force, shocked Poles after 45 years of official zero unemployment under communism.
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