Romney visits cradle of Poland's Solidarity movement
STORY: Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney visited the historical Gdansk Shipyard with his wife Ann on Monday, the hub of the historical Solidarity trade union movement.
The Baltic port of Gdansk is the cradle of Solidarity which toppled Poland's communist government in the late 1980s. Lech Walesa was the shipyard electrician who led the union movement during the struggle seen as the start of the end of Soviet domination of eastern Europe.
In the midst of a presidential campaign that is too close to call, Romney left the U.S. last Wednesday for a week-long trip to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics in London and visit Israel and Poland.
Aides say the trip is a "listen and learn" tour with no policy pronouncements.
In Gdansk, Romney held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa to voice support for an ally that has stood as a key bulwark in eastern Europe, a region long dominated by Russia.
Walesa ended his association with the Solidarity movement several years ago following disputes over policy.
Solidarity distanced itself on Monday from the visit saying Romney supported attacks on unions in his own country.
The Baltic port of Gdansk is the cradle of Solidarity which toppled Poland's communist government in the late 1980s. Lech Walesa was the shipyard electrician who led the union movement during the struggle seen as the start of the end of Soviet domination of eastern Europe.
In the midst of a presidential campaign that is too close to call, Romney left the U.S. last Wednesday for a week-long trip to attend the opening ceremony of the Olympics in London and visit Israel and Poland.
Aides say the trip is a "listen and learn" tour with no policy pronouncements.
In Gdansk, Romney held talks with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and former Solidarity leader Lech Walesa to voice support for an ally that has stood as a key bulwark in eastern Europe, a region long dominated by Russia.
Walesa ended his association with the Solidarity movement several years ago following disputes over policy.
Solidarity distanced itself on Monday from the visit saying Romney supported attacks on unions in his own country.