Polish Solidarity leader Geremek dies

WARSAW, Poland, July 14 (UPI) -- Bronislaw Geremek, one of the leading figures of Poland's Solidarity movement of the 1980s, has died in a car accident, officials said Monday.

Geremek, 76, killed Sunday in an accident near Nowy Tomysl, Poland, was hailed by European leaders as a major figure in the modern history of his country and as "a true European and a great Polish patriot."

Geremek, a deputy in the European Parliament, was praised by Polish President Lech Kaczynski, who said despite having quarreled with him since 1989, he considered Geremek an outstanding politician, the Warsaw Business Journal reported.

"This is a sad day for the European Parliament," said the body's president, Hans-Gert Pottering.

Geremek was described as a leading figure in the anti-Communist Solidarity movement and later served as Poland's foreign minister. Elected to the European Parliament in 2004, he served on both the Foreign and Constitutional Affairs committees.