The Reconstruction Fund has strongly divided Poland’s opposition. Some of its leaders reportedly hoped that by rejecting money from the EU by not allowing the decision to increase the EU’s own resources to be ratified, it would be possible to overthrow the government and establish a provisional one. However, some of its politicians, including the Left’s leaders, admitted that they did not have faith in the plan.
The Sejm, Polish parliament’s Lower House, recently voted on the government’s bill to ratify the decision to increase the resources of the European Union. The ratification of this decision by the Member States is necessary to launch payments from the EU Reconstruction Fund.
The initial stage prior to receiving funds is the National Reconstruction Plan (KPO) – a document that must be prepared by each Member State and submitted to the European Commission. Some opposition politicians hoped that the rejection of the bill would lead to the collapse of the government.
However, the Left did not believe in the success of the plan.
“I think it actually hurts the opposition a lot when… it tells fairy tales to its own voters. In this Sejm it is impossible for another government to form,” Adam Zandberg, one of the Left leaders, stressed.
Reportedly, the leaders of the Polish People’s Party (PSL) and Civic Platform (PO) had a different opinion. According to some politicians, they wanted to overthrow the ruling coalition of the United Right, and make PSL’s leader Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz the head of a provisional government.
In an interview with commercial radio TOK FM on Monday, PO’s MP Sławomir Nitras was asked if there was a chance to overthrow the government and establish a provisional government.
“I honestly didn’t believe for a second in the possibility of a provisional government, and I don’t know who in the coalition believed that in the current situation,” Mr Nitras replied.
One of the leaders of the Left, Włodzimierz Czarzasty, also admitted that he did not have faith in the plan.
Due to the confusion in the opposition, caused by the abstention of the majority of PO MPs from voting on the ratification of the decision to increase the European Union’s own resources, one of its MEPs – Róża Thun – decided to leave the PO.
“The Reconstruction Fund, if not adopted by all member states, will not exist at all. In these and many other situations, I missed a serious debate, a way to forge a common position,” she pointed out.
“Polish citizens and citizens of all other Member States cannot pay for our inept inter-party games,” she stressed.