The European Commission never seems satisfied; regardless of how far Poland is ready to compromise, the demands the Commission makes simply increase. European institutions have used the notions of the rule of law and democracy to limit Polish independence and sovereignty, and its aim is to make Poland accept all directives coming from the West.
When there were scandals involving the courts during the time of the coalition in Poland between the two parties, the Civic Platform (PO) and the Polish People’s Party (PSL), which both belong to the European People’s Party (EPP), the European Commission never found the time or had the appetite to investigate.
The EU rule of law report published on Wednesday shows that the Commission is not being objective. It just repeats the arguments and demands of the Polish opposition and breaches the powers conferred upon the EU executive by the treaties.
For example, it recommends the separation of the offices of minister of justice and chief public prosecutor. It also expresses concern about the independence of Polish courts and accuses the Polish Constitutional Court of questioning the primacy of European law. The report also alleges that journalists have been harassed and LGBT people are being discriminated against. It even questions the Polish government’s actions on the border with Belarus during the hybrid warfare attack launched by the Belarusian dictator Lukashenko.
Despite hours worth of meetings and visits by European Commission representatives to Poland, the Commission insists on maintaining and propagating the opposition’s line. Some of the allegations, such as supposed “LGBT-free zones,” have been conclusively proven to be fake news.
The European Commission also seems to have little regard for the jurisdiction of the Polish Supreme Court, which was piloted by President Andrzej Duda after consultations with the European Commission. The commission now is pressing for additional proposals.
If the EU executive, at a time of Russian aggression against Ukraine, and in the aftermath of the Belarusian provocation on the Polish border, actually chastises Poland for the way it has dealt with that crisis and for not giving enough aid to Ukrainian refugees, we are dealing with a total lack of good will.
Reluctantly, we have to accept that this is a political attack, which will be continued until the liberal-left seizes power in Poland. The European Commission is exceeding its powers and is using financial blackmail when it levies horrendously high fines for actions taken to ensure the energy security of the Polish state, and when it refuses to transfer resources from the EU Recovery Fund even though it has approved Poland’s operational program for spending that money. The milestones that Poland and Brussels agreed on are just being used to justify that political decision.
It was all so very different during the time of the previous Polish government led by Donald Tusk. The scandals such as massive VAT fraud, the Amber Gold pyramid scheme collapse, fraudulent restitution property claims that led to people being evicted from their homes, and the way Polish construction companies were led into bankruptcy during the process of building roads, were of little interest to the European Commission.
But then, during that time, the Tusk government was obedient to the Commission and never tried to assert sovereignty or fight for Polish economic interests.
We cannot expect anything positive from the European Commission. Our sovereignty is under attack. Any more concessions will simply lead to more demands. EU institutions want to subjugate Poland, politically, economically and socially.
This is not the EU we signed up for. Is the Polish government willing to stop this European Commission offensive? If not now, then when?
