The intention is to cooperate with Sovereign Poland, but realistic expectations must be set. Sovereign Poland has support around 0.7 to 1 percent, making it challenging for the party to press for major changes on electoral lists. This view was stated by government spokesman Piotr Müller.
During an appearance on Channel One Polish Radio on Tuesday, Müller was asked about the relationship between Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Justice Minister and Sovereign Poland leader Zbigniew Ziobro.
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In an interview with Do Rzeczy, Zbigniew Ziobro, the Justice Minister and head of Sovereign Poland, claimed that Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki made mistakes in major EU decisions and warned that Poland could gradually lose its sovereignty due to agreeing to the EU conditionality mechanism and the KPO. Morawiecki responded by invoking the old proverb about a cow that moans a lot and producing little milk, suggesting that listening to Ziobro sometimes gives the impression that Poland loses sovereignty five times a year.
On Monday, the Justice Minister put forward a proposal to the Prime Minister to hold a substantive debate on how to opt out of the Fit for 55 package. During the press conference, Müller assessed that a meeting of the Council of Ministers would be a suitable venue for such a discussion.
“The difference of opinion is fundamental”
Asked about the tension between Morawiecki and Ziobro, the government spokesman described it as a “dispute, not a conflict.”
The disagreement touches several fundamental points. Ziobro is seen as presenting a stance that challenges the adoption of the Fit for 55 package, while at the European Council summit the focus was not on adopting Fit for 55 in 2020. Regulations in this area are handled by the Council of the European Union, meaning ministers rather than heads of government take the lead. There is a qualified majority in the EU Council, which complicates alignments from Poland’s side.
Müller noted that Poland does not hold a majority there and may vote against, yet the regulations still move forward. He emphasized that this is a basic illustration of how the European Union functions at large.
He added that EU rules are currently advancing measures he believes serve the interests of wealthier Western European countries, often without accounting for nations undergoing an energy transformation from a different perspective.
Müller drew attention to the activities in Master of Services (MS) aimed at improving the efficiency of the judiciary. He argued that too much energy has been devoted to a handful of laws that, in terms of the speed of proceedings, could be replaced by more streamlined court management processes.
“It takes two to tango”
When asked about PiS and Sovereign Poland’s plans to contest the parliamentary elections together, Müller stated that this is the intention. He added that if both parties are prepared for such an agreement, it becomes easier, though it is important to set realistic expectations. They should consider the polling data, even if it is not always definitive, noting that Solidarna Polska hovers around 0.7 to 1 percent.
He stressed that there is not much room here and that it would be difficult for a party of that size to demand substantial positions on election lists. When pressed on PiS’s demands for the SP, including placements on lists, Müller indicated that he would not participate directly in the negotiations, but described the SP’s requests as disproportionately large compared to what they should be. When asked how many seats the SP might secure, he suggested that a strong representation of PiS members on the lists would be favorable.
kk/PAP
Source: wPolityce