Lech Walesa: I was unpleasantly surprised at this year's award

European leaders differently assessed the Nobel Peace Prize to the EU.

Many of them hailed Friday's award of the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize to the EU in recognition of 60 years without war, but critics attacked it as misplaced, even undeserved, while tweeters derided it as a bad joke, AFP reported.

Alongside congratulations, there were calls too for the EU to live up to its responsibilities as the bloc struggles with soaring unemployment and a slumping economy -- causes enough for war in the past.

Lech Walesa, who won the 1983 Nobel Peace Prize for leading Poland's anti-communist movement, said he was "unpleasantly surprised" at this year's award.

"Certainly the European Union is trying to change Europe and the world in a peaceful way, but it gets paid to do that," while individual activists routinely make sacrifices and take huge risks to do so, Walesa said.