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[webfact]

EU's Tusk says alarmed that Poland's policy resembles 'Kremlin's plan'

By Marcin Goettig

 

FILE PHOTO - European Council President Donald Tusk attends a debate on the outcome of the last European summit at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, October 24, 2017. REUTERS/Christian Hartmann

 

WARSAW (Reuters) - European Council President Donald Tusk said on Sunday he was alarmed by the similarity of policies pursued by Poland's right-wing government to what he described as "Kremlin's plan".

 

Poland's ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has been increasingly at loggerheads with the EU and Tusk since coming to office in late 2015, although the acrimony between Tusk and PiS dates back many years. The PiS is locked in disputes with the bloc over immigration, logging of an ancient forest and putting courts and media under more government control.

 

Tusk, Poland's former prime minister and the arch-rival of PiS leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski, won a second term in March as chairman of EU summit meetings - with Poland the only country to vote against his extension.

 

"Alarm! A vehement dispute with Ukraine, isolation in the European Union, departure from the rule of law and independent courts, attack on non-governmental sector and free media - PiS strategy or Kremlin's plan?" Tusk tweeted. "Too similar to rest easy."

 

Tusk was referring to, among other things, the fact that Ukraine summoned the Polish ambassador in Kiev on Saturday after Poland denied entry to a Ukrainian official in an escalation of a diplomatic spat over the two neighbours' troubled past.

 

Tusk did not provide details of what he described as the "Kremlin's plan". In May, Tusk urged Group of Seven leaders on to stick to their sanctions policy on Russia over the Ukraine crisis. Tusk also sided with member nations such as Poland and the Baltic states in their efforts to oppose a new pipeline connecting Russia and Germany.

 

The Polish government denies all charges from Brussels that it is undermining the rule of law or isolating Poland in Europe, saying it needs to overhaul Poland's ineffective legal system and stand up for Poland's interests in the EU.

 

A majority of EU lawmakers on Wednesday demanded punishment for the eurosceptic government in Poland, saying it was undermining the rule of law and promoting intolerance.

 

In a response to Tusk's comment, Prime Minister Beata Szydlo tweeted:

 

"@donaldtusk as @eucopresident has done nothing for Poland. Today, using his position to attack the Polish government, he is attacking Poland."

 

In March, Poland's defence minister accused Tusk of working with Russian President Vladimir Putin to harm Polish interests following the 2010 plane crash that killed President Lech Kaczynski - Jaroslaw's twin brother - and 95 others.

 

In April, Tusk testified for eight hours in a separate intelligence probe by Warsaw's right-wing government that he described as a smear campaign to discredit him.

 

(Reporting by Marcin Goettig, editing by David Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-11-20

 

[Orton Rd]

who voted Tusk into office?

[retarius]

2 hours ago, Orton Rd said:

who voted Tusk into office?

 

Not 'we the people' that's for sure.

[BuaBS]

So Poland doesn't agree with the unelected EU dictators .... so they blame the Russians (indirectly).  Should be 2017 theme : blame it all on the Russians , the US does !

[Jonmarleesco]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

'... with Poland the only country to vote against his extension.

That says volumes for Tusk's leadership credentials.

[Xaos]

I'm Polish.

Tusk is a Traitor to us.

Whole EU is communist garbage.

 

They can't stand polish spirit. They call us Nazis in Western media. Just cuz we marched in huge numbers waving flags on our independence day. That such guy in Brussels calls us Nazis with his Belgian friend. Tho in WW2 thousands such and belgians served in SS and 0 poles.

 

They want sanction us on fake allegations of breaking rule of democracy but it's perfectly safe in poland. And not so much in Spain Belgium France Germany etc.

 

No one broke polish spirit in past and I doubt they will.

 

That's what they scare of

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1536273996434997&id=1531647020231028

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1303951199732472&id=871323366328593

 

This guy https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1582647565160003&id=360623464029092

 

YouTube is deleting independence day videos from Poland imagine this! All they do is March with flags. Families young and old.

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

[Xaos]

So Poland doesn't agree with the unelected EU dictators .... so they blame the Russians (indirectly).  Should be 2017 theme : blame it all on the Russians , the US does ! [emoji2]

Poland is russophobic country. We know our history too well. We destroy post communist monuments. They spread fake propaganda...

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

[Grouse]

2 hours ago, Xaos said:

I'm Polish.

Tusk is a Traitor to us.

Whole EU is communist garbage.

 

They can't stand polish spirit. They call us Nazis in Western media. Just cuz we marched in huge numbers waving flags on our independence day. That such guy in Brussels calls us Nazis with his Belgian friend. Tho in WW2 thousands such and belgians served in SS and 0 poles.

 

They want sanction us on fake allegations of breaking rule of democracy but it's perfectly safe in poland. And not so much in Spain Belgium France Germany etc.

 

No one broke polish spirit in past and I doubt they will.

 

That's what they scare of

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1536273996434997&id=1531647020231028

 

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1303951199732472&id=871323366328593

 

This guy https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1582647565160003&id=360623464029092

 

YouTube is deleting independence day videos from Poland imagine this! All they do is March with flags. Families young and old.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk

 

 

 

 

I suggest you reflect on Polish history before spouting nonsense on here. Seems to me that you have done substantially better as a member of the EU than as a member of the Warsaw Pact.

 

Do you live in England by any chance?

Edited November 21, 2017 by Grouse

[Grouse]

Look at Poland's GDP growth since joining the EU in 2002/3 (Tusk was prime minister until 2014) 

 

They are the largest recipient of EU funding except for Greece

 

In fact, if the EU gave Poland the boot, it would a long way to covering the UK's contributions!

Edited November 21, 2017 by Grouse