Dominik Tarczyński, an MEP for Poland’s ruling conservatives, has slammed the European Parliament resolution calling for a full Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) mission to observe this autumn’s parliamentary elections, warning that Poland would retaliate against this “political declaration of war.”
On Tuesday, EU lawmakers adopted a resolution backed by the largest parliamentary groups, including the European People’s Party (EPP), the Socialists, the liberal Renew Europe, and the Greens. It condemns Poland for alleged rule of law violations, questions changes in Polish electoral law, and claims that Poland’s constitutional court reforms were illegal.
The resolution decries the “deliberate and systematic efforts” by the Polish government to undermine the core values of the European Union and expresses “deep concerns” about the recent changes to the country’s electoral code.
The changes introduced by the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party were intended to boost turnout by creating more polling stations in villages and providing free transport for elderly and disabled people on election day.
MEP Dominik Tarczyński responded by saying that “it is Socialists taking bribes that is illegal,” alluding to the corruption scandal involving former European Parliament Vice-President Eva Kaili and other Socialist politicians.
Tarczyński called the resolution “total destruction, which is unacceptable” and said that it was a “political declaration of war” in an attempt to undermine Poland’s existence.
The Law and Justice (PiS) MEP compared the resolution to the fact that the Socialists recently refused to surrender their computers and phones to OLAF, the EU’s anti-corruption body. He accused them of trying to deflect attention from their troubles by attacking Poland.
Tarczyński said that Poland would retaliate against the resolution, hinting that they would focus on the activities of Socialist politicians embroiled in the European Parliament’s corruption scandal. He added that the Socialists had crossed a red line in attacking the whole democratic process in Poland, adding that they of all people had no right to lecture Poland on the rule of law.
The Polish lawmaker was also scathing about his own country’s opposition MEPs who backed the resolution, accusing them of acting against the interests of Poland.
