Polish President Andrzej Duda had some harsh words for Bogdan Klich, former minister of national defense of Poland and current chargé d’affaires in the Polish embassy in DC.
“In my personal opinion, Mr. Bogdan Klich is not fit to be the ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the United States. Especially in connection with the way he behaved towards the current President Donald Trump,” Duda said in an interview with wPolityce.
Asked about the rumors that Klich would be replaced by Radosław Sikorski, the president replies: “No such proposal was made to me.” Sikorski has run to defend Klich, but this appears to be of no import to Duda, who insists proper protocols be followed, per which, he and he alone appoints the ambassador.
Duda says Donald Tusk’s government ignored and undermined the presidential prerogatives regarding the appointment of Polish ambassadors, but “fortunately, in this last matter, the current government is willing to return to the proven procedure.”
“They understood that staffing diplomatic missions with managers greatly weakens the ability to conduct foreign policy. The head of a mission does not have the same competencies and opportunities as an ambassador with a letter of credence from the President of the Republic of Poland,” he said.
“I kept saying: ‘Please restore the procedure that was in force in Poland for 30 years and no one saw a problem with it. Please act in a manner consistent with the applicable law, which states that it is the president who appoints ambassadors, and that’s all. This rule that has been in force for years — obtaining the preliminary consent of the President of the Republic of Poland before starting further necessary procedures — was introduced to avoid compromising situations when a candidate for ambassador at the last stage is not finally accepted,” he told wPolityce.
When asked about using Poland’s presidency of the EU Council to organize at least two summits: EU-USA and EU-Ukraine, Duda said: “Can you imagine what we would have today if the European Union-Ukraine summit and the European Union-United States summit, if these two meetings were held in Poland, in Warsaw or another city? The attention of the entire world would be focused on Poland today, on what is happening in Poland, on the Polish presidency. Everyone would come here. Perhaps negotiations would take place here, discussions would take place here. Are they taking place? No. Why? Please ask Prime Minister Donald Tusk. I agreed with him that he would handle European affairs, and I would handle NATO and UN affairs, as before. I was convinced that we would organize these summits. I was convinced that there would be an informal summit of the leaders of the European Union here because such was the custom.”
When asked why these summits did not take place in Poland, Duda replied: “I don’t know. Some say that because if there was a summit, I would lead it as the head of state.”
“In the field of security, this cooperation is being implemented. However, if this cooperation was also reliable in the field of international politics and if they were not afraid of me as president, we would be much stronger on the international stage today. If all this was happening here today and if we were the center today. Unfortunately, this opportunity was wasted by Donald Tusk,” Duda added.
