There are powerful voices in Brussels seeking to reverse a new deal granting Poland access to EU funds, but if such voices win the debate, then Poland must turn to its veto powers to “paralyze” the EU, said Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a senior MEP from Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party.
Last week, the European Commission announced it would unlock the EU Recovery Fund for Poland if certain milestones were reached, but in a letter to MEPs, Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt called for a vote of no confidence against European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen if she moves forward with the plan.
“If the von der Leyen commission no longer fulfills its role as guardian of the Treaties, Parliament should withdraw its confidence,” wrote Belgian MEP Guy Verhofstadt.
Saryusz-Wolski reacting to Verhofstadt and his Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) party’s attempts to derail tens of billions in funding for Poland.
Verhofstadt wrote that the European Commission “blatantly disregarded Parliament resolutions” on Poland’s capabilities to follow EU rules. “The Commission decided to give a positive assessment, in blatant disregard of several Parliament resolutions, several ECJ rulings, and dissent within the College, as five key Commissioners publicly doubt whether the so-called milestones are sufficient to comply with the ECJ rulings.”
Interviewed by portal wPolityce.pl, Polish MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski called the letter an “attempt to effectively split the EU” at a time when it is having to face the war in Ukraine. While this war rages on, political actors in the EU are trying to usurp powers that EU treaties have not bestowed on the EU.
“This is totally unacceptable. A scandal. There are no words to describe it. Indirectly it benefits Russian interests by weakening a state which is having to cope with the refugee crisis and which is the mainstay of NATO’s eastern flank,” said the Polish MEP.
Saryusz Wolski also reacted furiously to Verhofstadt’s demand that Poland should be forced to reinstate all judges disciplined by the Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court by cutting all of Poland’s EU funding until it complies.
Poland’s ruling party MEP is gloomy over the milestones announced by Brussels. He believes they are not a set list and new conditions will emerge as time goes on due to pressure from the European Parliament, which he said means that Poland will be continuously “grilled” into accepting EU demands. If that is to happen, the MEP said that Poland should block the decision-making process in the EU with the persistent use of the veto.
Saryusz-Wolski notes that Ursula von der Leyen has been saying different things in Warsaw and to the European Parliament. In Warsaw, she was conciliatory, whereas in a letter to the European Parliament, she has assured MEPs that Poland will not receive funds if it does not meet conditions specified by the European Commission.
This may be because five of her commissioners protested her stance in Warsaw over unblocking the EU funds through approval of Poland’s operational program.
The Polish MEP concludes the interview by saying that he hopes the attempt to overthrow the European Commission will prove unsuccessful and should be deemed unacceptable.
“I think this is the moment when we have to say ‘enough’,” said Saryusz-Wolski.
