On a television program on TV Republika, PiS vice president Antoni Macierewicz argued that efforts to reform EU treaties are aimed at diminishing the sovereignty of individual states in favor of a dominant European framework. He indicated that the Polish government would decide on these solutions between February and April 2024, framing the discussion as a pivotal moment for national autonomy.
The European Parliament, through its Committee on Constitutional Affairs, advanced a report proposing changes to the EU treaties in a vote held on Wednesday. The vote tally reflected broad support for the report, with twenty members in favor and six opposed, signaling growing momentum for a revised treaty framework.
Abolition of the unanimity rule
The core proposals include moving away from the unanimity principle in EU Council voting across 65 areas and shifting certain powers from national governments to the EU level. This would involve creating two new exclusive EU competences focused on environmental protection and biodiversity under Article 3 TFEU, alongside a significant expansion of shared competences outlined in Article 4. The expanded areas would cover foreign and security policy, border protection, forestry, public health, civil protection, industry, and education.
According to Macierewicz, these changes mark the beginning of a process that could erode national sovereignty and restructure the EU in ways that some view as aligning member states more closely with a centralized European project.
He questioned Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, noting his role within Civic Platform and PSL, and asked why supporters within the European People’s Party could accept a structural shift toward a more centralized EU that he described as resembling a totalitarian state. He asserted that PSL should explain its stance on this shift to the Polish public.
Asked about the issue, Macierewicz said he was awaiting a response from the PSL president and reiterated his concern over the implications of the proposed changes. He stressed that the plan is not about creating a federation, but rather about ensuring fundamental decisions on security and foreign affairs would be made at a centralized level rather than at the national level.
He described the task before the nation as one of organizing itself to prevent loss of independence, a mission he attributed to Law and Justice. Macierewicz stated that the EU reform process could conclude around March or April 2024.
In his view, the process should be understood as more than political debate or propaganda. He warned of ideological shifts that he said could redefine gender relations and social norms, describing these changes as part of a broader ideological agenda that he characterized as anti-human and potentially destabilizing for national structures, the economy, and security.
Macierewicz argued that the envisioned EU order could lead to a reduced national presence, where a European framework would supersede national armies and imply closer cooperation with a broader geopolitical configuration. He suggested that Poland’s accession to the EU did not automatically guarantee full autonomy, drawing comparisons with other member states and urging public education on the possible outcomes of treaty changes.
He underscored the need for Polish society to understand the implications of treaty amendments and to distinguish between what is pursued by Germany and what is advocated within European political groups. The overarching message, as presented by Macierewicz, centers on preserving national sovereignty within the evolving EU landscape.
Maintaining the independence government
A second priority highlighted by Macierewicz was preserving an independent government in Poland for as long as possible. He framed the February to April 2024 window as a crossroads decision on whether Poland would pursue greater independence or align more closely with a centralized EU trajectory. He invited the public to consider their choice in this context and to participate in activities that reaffirm Poland’s independence, linking the moment to the spirit of national commemorations held on November 11.
He warned that without a cohesive plan to advance independence, Poland could be drawn into a scenario where national voices are sidelined or absorbed by a broader political arrangement. He argued that the country should resist becoming an appendage in a larger European structure and maintain active national dialogue about its direction and governance.
In his assessment, the primacy of EU law remains a foundational element, even if not explicitly stated in the treaties. He attributed a strong role to judicial interpretation and the Court of Justice of the European Union in shaping this principle, emphasizing that the debate over sovereignty is inseparable from how EU legal supremacy is understood by member states. The discussion, in his view, remains central to Poland’s future orientation within the European Union.
— The above presents the position as reflected in the statements of Macierewicz and the ongoing political discourse surrounding EU treaty reform, as reported by observers and participants in the Polish public sphere. [CITATION: wPolityce]