Days after Brexit, Macron visits Poland amid frosty ties

By Joanna Plucinska

 

FILE PHOTO: French President Emmanuel Macron and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not pictured) attend a joint statement at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/Pool

 

WARSAW (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron visits Poland on Monday and Tuesday in an effort to reset frosty ties at a time when the departure of Britain from the European Union is reshaping political alliances in the 27-member bloc.

 

Arriving in Warsaw days after Brexit, Macron is signalling the importance of one of the EU's biggest members, despite a relationship marked by clashes over issues ranging from climate change policy, NATO and Poland's adherence to the rule of law.

 

In an attempt to strengthen ties, he will propose new investment plans and try to build nuclear and military partnerships during the visit, French and Polish officials said.

 

"Perhaps we won't be best friends right away but we can gradually rebuild working relations," a Polish official close to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told Reuters.

 

Relations between Poland and France soured after Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) government scrapped a $3.4 billion helicopter deal with Airbus in 2016, angering France, which thought the deal was largely agreed.

 

Since then, France and Poland have been on the opposite sides of many arguments.

 

Macron, a fervent European integrationist, has decried nationalist governments like Poland's and criticised, along with the EU executive, efforts by PiS to put Polish courts and media under more government control.

 

Both countries want to keep generous funding for their agricultural sectors in the EU budget, but Paris is pushing for more action on migration and the climate, while Warsaw has rejected EU policies on both matters.

 

Political experts say, however, that Macron may be keen to test new alliances in Europe amid tensions with Germany, another EU powerhouse, over European reforms.

 

France and Germany have been at loggerheads over the past year as Macron's ambitious plans for reform have often run into resistance from the more cautious Chancellor Angela Merkel.

 

"Paris is looking for another partner to work on the future of Europe. Berlin is not delivering," said Michal Baranowski, director of political think tank the German Marshall Fund in Warsaw.

 

The PiS government has called for a reversal of some EU powers, wanting more say for national parliaments. But Poland's ties with Germany have also suffered during its rule, with PiS saying Berlin owed it money for World War Two damage.

 

Macron visits Poland at a time of heightened tensions over the PiS government's judiciary reforms, which EU critics have said undermine the bloc's democratic standards.

 

Last month, parliament passed a law that allows for disciplining judges critical of government changes to the judiciary. The European Commission has asked the EU's highest court to freeze it.

 

(Reporting by Joanna PLucinska and Justyna Pawlak; Editing by Angus MacSwan)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-03

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FIXED:    

 

French President Emmanuel Macron visits Poland on Monday and Tuesday in an effort to force Poland not to talk with UK about leaving the EU and not to talk with other States who are also looking at leaving. 

 

Insiders in Poland stated that Poland President Andrzej Duda will be stating very clearing that the EU was supposed to be a Trading Bloc only, and that the movement of the Brussels bureaucrats (mainly French and German) into all aspects of the lives of the Polish People was unacceptable - especially immigration and laws. 

 

 

 

Poland has and always will have a very special bond with the United Kingdom and always will have

 

very interesting Macron chose to go there - the Polish people are not that easily fooled Mr Macron, you might get a better reception in ………………………. 

He really is a disgusting little worm

4 hours ago, smedly said:

Poland has and always will have a very special bond with the United Kingdom and always will have

 

very interesting Macron chose to go there - the Polish people are not that easily fooled Mr Macron, you might get a better reception in ………………………. 

 

Well, he'll certainly get a better reception in Poland than at home in France!

4 hours ago, smedly said:

Poland has and always will have a very special bond with the United Kingdom and always will have

 

very interesting Macron chose to go there - the Polish people are not that easily fooled Mr Macron, you might get a better reception in ………………………. 

That special bond goes all the way back to 1939 when Britain went to war to help save Poland from German invaders.

Macron forgets that after the French capitulated we did the same for them. Had we not, Macron might be calling Merkl 'mother' rather than Chancellor, and been fed on bratwurst rather than baguette.

1 hour ago, joebrown said:

That special bond goes all the way back to 1939 when Britain went to war to help save Poland from German invaders.

Macron forgets that after the French capitulated we did the same for them. Had we not, Macron might be calling Merkl 'mother' rather than Chancellor, and been fed on bratwurst rather than baguette.

Frau Merkel's nickname in Germany is 'Mutti', which means mummy.

 

Edited February 3, 20206 yr by Andrew65

1 hour ago, rhyddid said:

Brexiters start to find excuses for the future failure that they will met in the next immediate future.

Whatever country in EU can not by EU law make a deal with UK without EU approval, the same is in-place for Russia, Venezuela, China, Iran, or whatever country out of EU membership.

Always blame others never ourselves, human classic attitude.

And the relevance of your reply compared to the thread which actually is about Macron and Poland is what. Brexit has nothing to do with the thread.

 

I do understand that you are sad and bitter that Brexit has been signed off and negotiations are started and you are totally opposed to it.

3 hours ago, joebrown said:

That special bond goes all the way back to 1939 when Britain went to war to help save Poland from German invaders.

Macron forgets that after the French capitulated we did the same for them. Had we not, Macron might be calling Merkl 'mother' rather than Chancellor, and been fed on bratwurst rather than baguette.

Poland hasn't forgotten Vichy France, either!