I do not share the super-optimism of those who believe that we have forced Europe to its knees, and Polish affairs in the EU will now be smooth sailing. I also do not agree with those who believe that Poland is threatened more today than prior to the EU budget compromise.
That threat, a risk to our independence, was and continues to be real. However, we did everything in our power to minimize it. We could’ve completely eliminated the threat by leaving the EU. But then an even greater threat from the side of Russia would have appeared.
Today, Poland would be weaker without the EU – it would not have funds for developing its army and would not be as attractive of a partner to the U.S. as it is now, being a gateway to the EU.
Poland did not join the EU just to leave it but to be able to somehow expand the Atlantic community. Germany and France’s actions hinder this in vital ways.
The EU itself will soon become an archaic project. It will not withstand the competition with the U.S. and China, and probably soon, India as well.
Title image: Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, left, speaks with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during a round-table meeting at the EU summit at the European Council building in Brussels, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020, AP Images. In the EU everyone is a declared friend. This means that we should sleep with an axe in our bed and keep a gun in our wardrobe. But being in the EU is not always profitable. It is not worth it, when we’re not protecting our own interests. It does not bring benefits when we give up our independence. In the EU everyone is a declared friend. This means that we should sleep with an axe in our bed and keep a gun in our wardrobe. Otherwise, they will befriend our money and in the end accuse us of tolerating corruption.
Germany’s proposals were an absolute breach of EU treaties. It did not actually withdraw from them. What it did promise as a deal with Poland and Hungary, however, is that it would break treaties in such a way, that it won’t bother us.
Are these ironclad guarantees? They’re paper ones. But the threats are also paper ones. We could have continued the conflict and received no guarantees. The government chose an optimal strategy.
Is this the end? Of course not. This is absolutely the start of the battle for the shape of the EU. For this we need the current United Right team, because no other will be able to execute those guarantees.
Therefore, the German side will care about bringing this government down. By defending our independence we must seek to maintain the United Right’s survival for as long as possible.
I myself am tired with this government’s awkwardness and slip-ups. But dealing with today’s reality is not meant to be as easy as organizing spa for virgins. On the other side, we are dealing with gangsters and we should not be surprised that our side sometimes breaks porcelain or accidentally treads on our toes. We should look at the whole, and the whole is simply better.
And the most important thing: time works to our advantage. We have just won that time. Hopefully it will be as long as possible.
