Many Poles also disagree with their government’s course.
(Photo: AP)
Brussels The mothers and fathers of the EU treaties expected a case like Poland. There are ways and means of putting a deviator in their place. However, the mothers and fathers of the EU treaties did not expect two cases such as Poland. But with Hungary there is another problem child in the community.
Unanimity is required to exclude states from voting in the EU Council. As long as two states coincide with each other, the really hard means of the EU treaties will remain in the poison cabinet. Hungary’s voice is enough to protect Poland. And there are also some other authoritarian heads of government in the EU who forbid the rule of law being judged by member states in Brussels.
The escalation between Poland and the EU could therefore not only be ugly, but also protracted. The EU Commission will probably withhold the money from the Corona reconstruction fund, which Poland urgently needs to recover from the crisis. Then Poland could try to block as many votes in the EU as possible in order to build up counter pressure. The EU’s means of pressure are more powerful, the damage to Poland would certainly be greater. After all, Poland is one of the largest recipients of EU funds.
Civil society and the justice system are at stake
But should you take it down? MEPs are putting pressure on the EU Commission to use all available means. They fear that civil society and the justice system will be damaged more and more every month.
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On Friday, Angela Merkel stood on the other side. “So we have big problems,” she said with reference to Hungary. “But I advise you to solve them in conversation and find compromises. That has always been the essence of the European Union, and it must stay that way. “
As the outgoing Chancellor, she can speak freely. Probably more than anyone else involved, she has the historical dimension in mind and what it means for the history of Europe when the EU pushes Poland and perhaps Hungary out of its community.
At the same time, in this situation, the EU can hardly transfer billions in tax money to Poland. Nor can she wait forever to take punitive action. It is important that such measures are not an end in themselves, but that they lead to negotiations – and do not prevent negotiations.
More: Is the Polexit coming? How Poland and the EU are approaching escalation