Walesa as a 'news generator'

"During his active period, Lech Walesa was sometimes a hero and sometimes a threat to democracy. For the right-wing he was alternately a guardian of national and Catholic values or a Stasi agent. It seems Walesa still enjoys playing these alternate roles even now that he's officially retired from politics. That's why he's always making the headlines with his careless remarks," writes journalist Rafal A. Ziemkiewicz commenting on the public appearances of the former president. "One day he says he wouldn't shake hands with such and such and the next he retracts his statement. We Poles are used to his news and anti-news, but foreign journalists take him seriously and print it all. Somebody should put a sign on him in six languages saying: Warning! It's only Walesa. Admire him, but don't take what he says seriously – he'll only retract it tomorrow."

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