Marcin Kędzierski of the Jagiellonian Club, who was present at the debate, reports that it all started with questions to the co-host by “Deutsche Welle” journalist Rosalia Romaniec, concerning the judiciary reform in Poland. The main issue was last week’s decree from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to reinstate the retired judges back into the Polish Supreme Court.
Although Duda managed to diplomatically answer the question, instead of passing the question over to co-host of the debate Polish journalist Roman Legutko, Romaniec decided to pressure Duda. The President repeated his claim about Poles being very sensitive to outside directives and gave the example of non-energy saving lightbulbs which cannot be bought in Poland because of the EU. Not a very smart thing to say in the country of Energiewende.
Germans! Why did you want to make the President of one of the few countries that like you grovel?
Romaniec did not relent. This time, Duda responded with whether Britain was solely to blame for Brexit. He argued that European institutions are equally responsible. The audience reacted by booing. That’s right. Distinguished guests, members of the German Foreign Ministry, during the celebrations of the 100-year anniversary of Polish independence booed the Polish President.
When given the opportunity by Romaniec, a Tagesspiegel journalist asked why Polish Radio and other Polish media did not report on the ECJ’s decree. Duda couldn’t take it and responded by saying that he didn’t spend all day listening to Polish Radio, but at least Polish media wouldn’t be silent if someone was raping women on the streets.
My dear Germans – what is this all about?
Duda shouldn’t have burst out like that. But let me ask: my dear Germans – what is this all about? Why was this “birthday” farce necessary? And why did President Steinmeier say at the very end, that we should all be happy that Germany doesn’t want to revise the borders near Wrocław?
Germans! Why did you want to make the President of one of the few countries that like you grovel? Do you really believe that the Britons are solely responsible for Brexit? That Trump and PiS are the EU’s biggest issues? Will you really cancel Nord Stream 2 if Poland relents on its judiciary?
Each time I come back from Germany I ask myself the question why is it worth still liking you? The Spanish, Italians and Greeks have long stopped doing so.
