Soviets accuse Solidarity of trying to wreck system

January 30, 1981

The Tass news agency issued Moscow's strongest attack on the Solidarity free trade union since Poland's labor unrest started last summer, accusing it of trying to wreck the economy and destroy socialism. The criticism was contained in a Tass report from Warsaw which strongly implied that Poland's Communist authorities should make no further concessions to Solidarity on the issue of a five-day workweek or other worker demands. The report did not mention Thursday's exploratory talks between the goernment and the union, and its tone suggested that such talks were a waste of time.