Tusk says Poland’s policy resembles ‘Kremlin’s plan’

Donald Tusk (C), President of the European Council talks to Swedish PM Stefan Lofven, Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, Estonian PM Juri Ratas and Danish PM Lars Loekke Rasmussen during the EU Social Summit for Fair Jobs and Growth 2017. [Council]

European Council President Donald Tusk said on Sunday (19 November) he was alarmed by the similarity of policies pursued by Poland’s right-wing government to what he described as the “Kremlin’s plan”.

Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been increasingly at loggerheads with the EU and Tusk since coming to office in late 2015, although the acrimony between Tusk and PiS dates back many years.

The PiS is locked in disputes with the EU over immigration, logging of an ancient forest and putting courts and media under more government control.

Tusk, Poland’s former prime minister and the arch-rival of PiS leader Jarosław Kaczyński, won a second term in March as chairman of EU summit meetings – with Poland the only country to vote against his extension. Following the bitter defeat, Warsaw announced a “negative” policy towards Brussels.

After EU defeat, Poland announces 'negative' policy towards Brussels

Poland, which lost a diplomatic campaign to oust its former premier Donald Tusk from his post as European Council president, has now accused the EU of “cheating” and announced a “negative” policy towards Brussels.

Tusk tweeted from his Polish language account: “Alarm! A vehement dispute with Ukraine, isolation in the European Union, departure from the rule of law and independent courts, attack on non-governmental sector and free media – PiS strategy or Kremlin’s plan? Too similar to rest easy.”

Tusk was referring to, among other things, the fact that Ukraine summoned the Polish ambassador in Kyiv on Saturday after Poland denied entry to a Ukrainian official in an escalation of a diplomatic spat over the two neighbours’ troubled past.

Tusk did not provide details of what he described as the “Kremlin’s plan”. In May, Tusk urged the leaders of G7 countries to stick to their sanctions policy on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. Tusk also sided with member nations such as Poland and the Baltic states in their efforts to oppose a new pipeline connecting Russia and Germany.

Tusk joins ‘Visegrad Four’ in attack on Nord Stream 2

The ‘Visegrad Four’ countries (Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary) found a powerful ally at the EU summit which ended today (18 December) in the person of Council President Donald Tusk, who repeated most of their arguments against the Germany-favoured project.

The Polish government denies all charges from Brussels that it is undermining the rule of law or isolating Poland in Europe, saying it needs to overhaul Poland’s ineffective legal system and stand up for Poland’s interests in the EU.

A majority of EU lawmakers on Wednesday demanded punishment for the eurosceptic government in Poland, saying it was undermining the rule of law and promoting intolerance.

European Parliament sets in motion ‘nuclear option’ for Poland

The European Parliament adopted on Wednesday (15 November) a resolution calling for the application of the so-called ‘nuclear option’ for Poland, Article 7 of the EU Treaty, because of the threat to the rule of law in the biggest Eastern European country. EURACTIV Poland reports.

In a response to Tusk’s comment, Prime Minister Beata Szydło tweeted:

“@donaldtusk as @eucopresident has done nothing for Poland. Today, using his position to attack the Polish government, he is attacking Poland.”

In March, Poland’s defence minister accused Tusk of working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to harm Polish interests following the 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczyński – Jarosław’s twin brother – and 95 others.

Kaczynski blames Tusk for Smolensk crash

Responsibility for the 2010 plane crash that killed Polish President Lech Kaczyński along with 95 other people lay with the then government of Donald Tusk, the late president’s twin brother and leader of the current ruling party said yesterday (10 April) at an event to commemorate the disaster.

In April, Tusk testified for eight hours in a separate intelligence probe by Warsaw’s right-wing government that he described as a smear campaign to discredit him.

Poles show support for Tusk during spy case testimony

European Council President Donald Tusk testified for eight hours in Warsaw on Wednesday (19 April) as a witness in an investigation of two former military counter-intelligence chiefs accused of overstepping their duties.

Read more with Euractiv

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