Vice-President of the European Parliament Ewa Kopacz said on Sunday that Poland will try to appoint our country the position of EU Commissioner for Defense in the new term of office. “I know people who have experience in both defense and foreign policy,” she noted.
When asked by PAP in what area Poland should have an EU commissioner in the new term, the former prime minister pointed to security issues.
We are talking about the Commissioner in special times, when there is a war on our eastern border. I think we will strive hard for a defense commissioner who will not only prepare peacetime strategies, but also recognize threats.
— she said.
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No names
When asked whether she could name a candidate for this position, she did not answer immediately. She emphasized that such a candidate would be nominated by the Prime Minister of the Polish government.
As a politician, I undoubtedly know people who have experience in both defense and foreign policy
– she noted.
When asked by PAP what she thinks the EU’s common defense policy should look like, she said that “we will be stronger together than individually.”
When we talk about arms production, this production will be stronger if we divide certain areas among ourselves. Some will be better at building drones, others – like us – at producing gunpowder and guns
– she said.
When asked how to reconcile this view in Poland with, for example, the continuation of arms purchases in South Korea, initiated by the previous government, the politician emphasized that she was not an expert in this field.
I don’t know what was bought in recent years, but it seems to me that a lot of bad things happened in these five years. Ie Unfortunately, the Polish defense industry was seriously damaged, if not destroyed, by its predecessors
– she answered.
Kopacz also rated the EU Commissioner for Agriculture, Janusz Wojciechowski, as the founder of the Green Deal.
Today he comes out against himself and says the Green Deal was bad. So a commissioner who sometimes has good days and sometimes bad days, and is unstable in his proposals, is probably not good for Poland
– she said.
When asked about the Green Deal, she denied that her party was distancing itself from this policy.
We speak a slightly different language. We do not distance ourselves, we say: we want to improve what is a civilization challenge
– she noted.
The former prime minister emphasized that “you don’t have to be a great prophet to know” that natural disasters or famine “are not something normal and natural, that we can regulate certain things that we have control over.” She emphasized that this should not happen at the expense of citizens.
Citizens need to know that if they contribute to what is about to happen, they should be compensated for the costs they incur.
– she said.
Farmers’ protests
Earlier he said, among other things: On food issues, she said that “our farmers, who are protesting very strongly today, know what they are doing.”
Because food is essential, it must be affordable for everyone so that prices cannot increase. Fruits and vegetables of course depend on the climate, you should also remember this. Why will cherries be expensive? Well, because there was frost. And why was there frost at an unusual time? Because the climate is changing
– she said.
If we want to have healthy and cheap food today, we must relax the restrictions (restrictions – PAP) in the Green Deal, but at the same time rely on producers such as Polish
– she said.
Ewa Kopacz is running for re-election to the European Parliament from the Greater Poland constituency. She is number one on the Civic Coalition’s list. On Sunday, the former Prime Minister visited Szamotuły, Greater Poland, as part of her election campaign.
What could Ewa Kopacz’s silence on the possible name of the candidate for the post of Defense Commissioner mean? Isn’t Radosław Sikorski’s candidacy a foregone conclusion?
gah/PAP
Source: wPolityce
Emma Matthew is a political analyst for “Social Bites”. With a keen understanding of the inner workings of government and a passion for politics, she provides insightful and informative coverage of the latest political developments.