Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki truly had no other option: he had to dismiss the Polish ambassador to Czechia, Mirosław Jasiński, following his public criticism of Poland’s stance over the Turów row in an interview with German newspaper Deutsche Welle.
Jasiński had convinced himself that when it came to the conflict over Turów with the Czechs, there had been “a lack of empathy, understand and lack of desire for undertaking dialogue – especially from the Polish side.” Given the political and economic importance of the conflict, this statement was not only outrageous, but also very damaging and unprofessional to say the least.
One can only wonder why a diplomat made such a grave mistake — perhaps due to the familiar atmosphere of the interview in which he spoke with a Polish journalist, or perhaps he simply possesses a lack of vigilance or experience. The idea to share honest reflections on the matter with Deutsche Welle is odd, to say the least. Whatever the case may be, this mistake could not be ignored.
All in all, it would be good if this affair became an important lesson. Polish diplomats cannot be — and many love this role — ‘supranational Europeans’ who care for objectivism, maintaining a ‘happy’ atmosphere and possibly cultural exchange above all else. They cannot be people who eagerly admit that countries which are in conflict with Poland are right. They should not cherish the awards from their host countries more than those from Poland.
Those who present a different model and clearly articulate Polish interests — such as Poland’s ambassador in Berlin, Prof. Andrzej Przyłębski — are strongly attacked, even within their own “corporation.”
The Law and Justice (PiS) government had tried and continues to try to change what in essence is a classical pathology of modern Poland, and with some degree of success.
Yet even in the newest intake one can find people who do not understand where they are, who they represent, what times they live in and — above all else — that they are not participating in a pleasant party but in a serious game over sovereignty; a game which they should remember one can lose.
