Just a few days ago, conservative parties from all across Europe signed a joint declaration regarding the future of the European Union. Among the signatories were Law and Justice (PiS), Spanish VOX, Hungarian Fidesz, the French National Front, and the Italian Northern League.
The authors of the declaration emphasized that the aim of their cooperation is to deeply reform the EU through a return to the ideals which constituted the union’s foundation, including the sovereignty of European nation states.
Moreover, the declaration pointed to the loss of trust among EU citizens towards the union’s institutions, which the authors believe is a consequence of “the reinterpretation of the treaties”.
Donald Tusk, who has recently returned to Polish politics and taken the mantle of Civic Platform leader, criticized the declaration and accused PiS of being pro-Putin.
“Jarosław Kaczyński has decided to sign up PiS, and partially Poland, to the group of political parties which do not hide their disdain for a United Europe. They do not hide their clearly nationalistic, anti-union tendencies. Kaczyński has joined PiS, and Poland to a degree, with the EU’s pro-Putin camp,” Tusk said at his Sunday press conference.
At the same time, Tusk boasted that it was due to his efforts that Viktor Orbán’s Fidesz was removed from the European People’s Party.
He also believes that the declaration is another step towards Poland’s total isolation from Europe.
“Truly, the only person who opens bottle after bottle of champagne after PiS’s decisions is Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin,” he said.
Donald Tusk’s words were heavily criticized online. Journalist Grzegorz Kuczyński pointed out the fallacies in the Polish opposition’s logic.
“They say that PiS is Putin’s ally. Yet at the same time, alongside Russians, they attack PiS projects which make Poland independent of Russia. This is the Polish opposition’s logic,” he wrote on Twitter.
Mówią, że PiS to sojusznik Putina. Jednocześnie atakują – ramię w ramię z Rosjanami – pisowskie projekty uniezależniające Polskę od Rosji. Ot, logika totalnej opozycji
— Grzegorz Kuczynski (@KuczynskiG) July 4, 2021
Solidarity Poland MP Janusz Kowalski declared Tusk “most submissive to the Kremlin prime minister of modern Poland” and listed the pro-Russian actions carried out by Donald Tusk during his terms as PM.
“1 – Baltic Pipe was stopped. 2. The blockade of Nord Stream was stopped. 3. PLN 1 billion of Gazprom debt was forgiven. 4. The construction of the gas terminal was delayed. 5. The 2010 gas deal increasing Polish dependency on the Kremlin was signed,” Kowalski explained.
…powiedział najbardziej uległy Kremlowi premier III RP, za którego czasów:
1/ Zatrzymano Baltic Pipe
2/ Zaprzestano blokady Nord Stream
3/ Darowano 1 mld zł długu Gazpromowi
4/ Opóźniono budowę gazoportu
5/ Zawarto umowę gazową w 2010 r. zwiększającą uzależnienie od Kremla ??♂️ https://t.co/GkfnaufRw9
— Janusz Kowalski (@JKowalski_posel) July 4, 2021
During his press conference, Donald Tusk also stated that due to his return to Polish politics, he will resign from EPP leadership within the upcoming months.
