Mateusz Morawiecki, vice president of PiS and former Prime Minister of Poland, published an article on Politico entitled “Europe’s impossible trinity”. “Without a strong defense, Europe will fall victim to others. And anyone who thinks Russia will stop in Ukraine should give up their stupid illusions. It’s time to wake up,” he calls out in the text.
‘Everything everywhere at once’ is not only the title of an Oscar-winning film, but also a synonym for the policies that Europe has pursued in recent years. A policy – let us add – whose consequences turned out to be disastrous on many levels
– wrote Mateusz Morawiecki on the X platform, summarizing his article published on Politico.
Those running the European Union behaved as if we were living in many independent realities at the same time and tried to impose mutually exclusive and harmful solutions on us. They did not take into account that we live in one world, one reality, in which there are also countries and societies outside Europe – with completely conflicting interests and expectations.
– emphasized the MP.
As a result, they have set us – the societies and nations of Europe – goals that are impossible to achieve. We are confronted with strategic decisions. Which way are we going?
– asked Morawiecki.
Self-restraint, decline in competitiveness, lack of security – or ambition and building an economically and militarily strong and socially supportive welfare state. I am a big believer in the latter option. I write more about it in “Politico”
– he wrote, with a link to the text in English.
““The Impossible Trinity”
In the text entitled “Europe’s impossible trinity”, the PiS vice president points out that “decision makers in the EU theoretically want to secure everything, everywhere and do everything at the same time.” Morawiecki points out that these plans do not reflect reality.
The strategic mistake that Europe is making reminds me of the concept of the impossible Trinity. In the 1960s, economists Robert Mundell and Marcus Fleming developed a model in which they argued that economic policy could not achieve three things simultaneously: a fixed exchange rate, an independent monetary policy, and the free flow of capital. A maximum of two of these policy elements can be implemented simultaneously, but not three
– we read in the article by the former prime minister.
Nevertheless, Europe has set itself an impossible trio of ambitions: its decision-makers want to maintain the most generous social policies and investments in new technologies and innovations; they want to expand defense capabilities; and they want a European Green Deal
– writes Mateusz Morawiecki.
Threat from Russia
The PiS vice-president emphasizes that the introduction of the Green Deal will hit entrepreneurs and the business community, which in turn will lead to the ‘feasibility of the welfare state model’ being questioned in the longer term.
Finally, there is the safety policy. We need to strengthen our defense capabilities – or, more broadly, the resilience capabilities of EU Member States – to protect what we have achieved in recent decades. For Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, the Baltic countries and Romania, the stakes are even higher and of an existential nature. (…) In this context, Europe currently spends around $400 billion on defense and is still between $400 and $500 billion short. If Europe wants to be safe from the threats of Russia and its friends, if it wants to be a global player, it must spend 4 to 5 percent of GDP on its military. This applies to every NATO member country
– points out Mateusz Morawiecki, pointing out that Europe is facing huge expenditure in three areas, and national budgets do not have the money to cover it. According to the vice president of PiS, there are three possible solutions to this problem:
Or prioritize climate and security policies and then accept the serious social costs and possible underspending on innovation. It can also maintain the welfare state social model and ambitious climate goals, but refrain from increasing its military power. Or promote European security and the welfare state model, but then reconsider current climate policy.
The former prime minister admitted that he was in favor of the third option: the welfare state and security policy.
“Without a strong defense, Europe will fall victim to others.”
The combination of the welfare state and climate policy is fine in times of peace, but we are currently living in an era of great danger. Without a strong defense, Europe will fall victim to others. And anyone who thinks Russia will stop in Ukraine should give up their stupid illusions. It’s time to wake up
– warns Mateusz Morawiecki and emphasizes the need for a “deep, comprehensive reindustrialization” of Europe.
The former head of the Polish government indicates that it is time to redefine the European security strategy, to urgently start major investments in future technologies and to double defense spending.
The EU’s tax base must be enriched by the billions of euros currently flowing to tax havens or earmarked for cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Europe will become the continent of the future, or there will be no Europe at all
– sums up.
jj/X, politics.eu
Source: wPolityce