The head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Radosław Sikorski, said on Friday that one of his proposed candidates for ambassadors is the former head of the Ministry of National Defense, Bogdan Klich. He added that it was a facility in the US. The minister emphasized that the other candidates were “career diplomats”.
Sikorski was asked on TVN24 about a possible negative decision by the president on the dismissal of 50 ambassadors and the appointment of new ones in their place.
This would be astonishing, because all but one of those I have introduced are career diplomats, so Mr. President will only harm himself. I hope this won’t happen
– said Sikorski.
One political candidate is Bogdan Klich, former defense minister and former head of the Sejm Foreign Affairs Committee
– said Sikorski. He added that it was a facility in the US.
He said PiS criticized Klich for “allegedly participating in the Smolensk attack”.
Let them show even a shred of evidence of the Smolensk attack, and I promise to resign my candidacy.
– added.
The head of the Foreign Ministry also noted that Prime Minister Donald Tusk had expressed his agreement to changes to the diplomatic missions.
And the President had full advance information because the matter was voted on in the convention established by the Government of Law and Justice in the Diplomatic Service Act, where the amendments I proposed were adopted by a 3-1 majority.
– said Sikorski.
When asked about the president’s possible negative decision regarding the appointment of new ambassadors, Sikorski responded, “We already agree with the president.”
I requested an audience immediately upon my appointment to the position and the President made some personnel suggestions, which I accepted and I remain committed to this plan.
– said Sikorski.
When asked to assess the president’s actions, the head of the State Department declared it a “political plan of the presidential camp.”
Mr. President is presented as a defender of the property state from that period of state conquest by the then ruling party. And this is a political plan in several areas, unfortunately it now also affects diplomacy
– he said.
The minister also pointed out that it has never happened before in Poland that most Polish ambassadors were appointed from outside the foreign service.
Political appointments happen. They often have their justification, but it has always been ten percent in ambassadorial positions, and today it is the majority
– he said, giving the example of former ambassador to Germany Andrzej Przyłębski.
The president had no qualms about sending Mr Przyłębski to Berlin, who today argues that PiS should forge a political alliance with the Alternative for Germany (AFD), German nationalists, whose leader believes the former GDR is Central Germany. We had such a PiS ambassador. And unfortunately this is not the only flower
– said Sikorski.
As he noted, Poland “must have professionals in the secret services, in the prosecutor’s office, in the media and also in diplomacy.”
Our politicians, including the president, must receive professional support in conducting foreign policy. Embassies cannot be a safe haven for family members and party activists
– added.
Sikorski’s decision to fire more than 50 ambassadors
Last week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had decided to end the missions of more than fifty ambassadors and withdraw a number of applications submitted for approval by the previous management of the ministry. As reported, practical appeal procedures have been initiated.
President Andrzej Duda said Wednesday in Ljubljana, Slovenia, that he has not received any formal request regarding the recall of ambassadors. He also announced that he would not make a hasty decision on the matter. He recalled that according to the Constitution, it is the President of the Republic of Poland who appoints and dismisses ambassadors.
Naturally, this is done in consultation with the Prime Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, but the decision on this, i.e. literally the nomination, is signed by the President of the Republic of Poland
– said Duda.
According to the Constitution of the Republic of Poland, the President appoints and dismisses Poland’s plenipotentiary representatives in other countries and international organizations, but the country’s foreign policy is conducted by the Council of Ministers. The Constitution also obliges the president to cooperate in the field of foreign policy with the prime minister and the relevant minister.
Under the Foreign Service Act, the Ambassador is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic of Poland at the request of the Minister responsible for Foreign Affairs, approved by the Prime Minister.
The minister responsible for foreign affairs shall seek the advice of the Foreign Service Convention before submitting the application. The Convention is composed of: the minister responsible for foreign affairs or a member of the management of the office that serves the minister responsible for foreign affairs as chairman designated by him; head of the Foreign Service; representative of the Chancellery of the President of the Republic of Poland; representative of the Prime Minister’s Chancellery.
tkwl/PAP
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Source: wPolityce