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Poland’s ruling party leader announces tougher approach towards EU

If the European Commission (EC) does not fulfil its obligations towards Poland, then we also have no reason to fulfil our obligations towards the European Union, Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the Law and Justice (PiS), the senior party in Poland’s ruling coalition, told the “Sieci” weekly.

As he pointed out, “the Polish side has shown maximum goodwill and made compromises in connection with the implementation of the conditions for obtaining funds from the National Recovery Plan (KPO).”

The promised funds have not been given to the country yet even after ratification of the Polish KPO during a meeting of EU Finance Ministers in Luxembourg back in June.

Mr Kaczyński criticised the European Union’s approach towards the issue, describing the further blocking of the KPO funds as a “game,” emphasising that “today, everyone can see what a game it is.”

As he said, in a situation of the EC’s passivity, Poland’s further efforts to recover EU funds should be terminated. “Of course, we will not convince everyone. Some want to persist in stupidity, illusions, others are cynically counting on the fortunes they will make from a king of enslavement of Poland,” Mr Kaczyński said.

The PiS leader pointed out that the possible allocation of KPO funds would have to be linked to a change in relations between Poland and the EU.

“It cannot – and will not – be the case that the EU does not recognise treaties, agreements and contracts which we are part of. Even the judgments of the CJEU [favourable for us],” he stressed.

“There is a crisis, a war, these are conditions that fully justify taking emergency measures. Since the EC is not fulfilling its obligations to Poland in this area, we have no reason to fulfil our obligations to the European Union. These were agreements and arrangements which worked both ways. At the same time, it is not about non-payment of the membership fee, but about other actions and undertakings,” Mr Kaczyński concluded.

KPO, the aforementioned funding, was originally designed for 2021-27 and is worth up to EUR 35.4 bn, including EUR 23.9 bn in grants and EUR 11.5 bn in loans.

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