Poland’s justice minister, Zbigniew Ziobro, has called for his government to veto the European Union’s budget if it links the distribution of funds to respect for the rule of law. Such a mechanism is currently being discussed by EU leaders.
“This is not about rule of law – that is just a pretext,” said Ziobro at a press conference this morning. “This is about institutional, political enslavement, a radical reduction of sovereignty.”
#Warszawa | 💬@ZiobroPL, @MS_GOV_PL:Praworządność jest tylko pretekstem. Realnie chodzi tu o instytucjonalne, polityczne zniewolenie. O radykalne ograniczenie suwerenności, którego konsekwencją byłoby przyjęcie mechanizmu warunkującego korzystanie z budżetu #UE🇪🇺 od owej zasady. pic.twitter.com/U0lcImwySa
— TOP TVP INFO (@TOPTVPINFO) November 16, 2020
Ziobro spoke alongside senior colleagues from the United Poland (Solidarna Polska) party that he leads. It is one of two junior partners to Law and Justice (PiS) in Poland’s ruling national-conservative coalition.
Ziobro’s party colleague, deputy minister for state assets Janusz Kowalski, last week claimed that the proposed rule-of-law mechanism is part of a plan for “Germany to colonise Poland” by “violating the EU treaty to take our sovereignty”.
At today’s press conference, Ziobro revealed that he had written to the prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, about this issue. “It would be a sin unforgivable by history if we did not use the tools available to block this lawlessness,” said Ziobro.
VETO or DEATH! Symbol in the fight for 🇵🇱sovereignty against Eurocrats and 🇩🇪politicians who disobey 🇪🇺treaties. The leader of @SolidarnaPL the Minister of Justice @ZiobroPL and MEP @PatrykJaki say categorical „NO” to 🇪🇺funds distribution to 🇵🇱being dependent on Berlin’s opinion. https://t.co/voLG8wDfbw
— Janusz Kowalski (@JKowalski_posel) November 15, 2020
“Now is the moment…when Poland can veto the multi-annual budget framework…[and] all Polish politicians should speak with one voice on this matter: we do not agree to such a radical limitation of Poland’s sovereignty, and therefore we veto,” he continued.
“I am convinced that, like Prime Minister [Viktor] Orbán [of Hungary]…Prime Minister Morawiecki will exercise these powers,” said Ziobro.
Morawiecki – who is seen as a more moderate and pragmatic rival to the hardline and radical Ziobro – last week wrote to European leaders warning that a rule-of-law mechanism would not be accepted in Poland.
Experts say, however, that it would be hard for Poland, which is the biggest beneficiary of the EU budget, to follow through on the threat to veto.
The Polish government – as well as that of Hungary – has opposed the proposed rule-of-law mechanism from the start, arguing that it would be used in an “arbitrary” and “political” manner. In particular, they say that larger western member states would use it against eastern ones.
Critics, however, note that the Polish government has been found by a wide range of institutions and experts to have repeatedly violated the rule of law. A poll earlier this year showed that a majority of Poles regard the government’s overhaul of the judiciary as an attempt to violate the rule of law.
A survey published in January found that the EU is the most trusted institution among Poles, while the government is the least trusted. A Kantar poll last month showed that 72% of Poles support linking the EU budget to respect for the rule of law and democracy.
Main image credit: Adam Guz / KPRM (under public domain)
Daniel Tilles is editor-in-chief of Notes from Poland. He has written on Polish affairs for a wide range of publications, including Foreign Policy, POLITICO Europe, EUobserver and Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
