Sikorski’s work is openly reported, according to Borys Budka, the KO club chief, who stressed on Thursday that both his income and voting patterns in the European Parliament are transparent. Budka noted that criticism of Sikorski often stems from envy about his international profile. Tomasz Siemoniak added that Sikorski is not a burden for the Civic Platform, but a significant asset.
There is sensational chatter about Sikorski. The Dutch newspaper NRC reported that KO MEP Radosław Sikorski earns 100,000 dollars annually for advising at the Sir Bani Yas conference. The gathering, established a little over a decade ago by the Emirates, serves as a forum for international diplomacy and soft power outreach.
According to NRC sources, Sikorski’s behavior during votes has raised questions, especially when paired with payments received for advisory work.
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The KO club head, Budka, told Polsat News that Sikorski’s income is disclosed and taxed in Poland as noted in asset declarations. He pointed out that there is no single article detailing the property of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki’s wife.
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Budka added. When asked about objections raised in NRC regarding Sikorski’s votes, Budka noted that Sikorski clearly referred to votes within the European People’s Party group in which he cast decisions.
It is worth recalling that Sikorski joined a prestigious council whose members include former prime ministers, former ministers, and global figures who handle foreign policy matters with transparency, according to Budka.
“Some people are very jealous of Sikorski’s position.”
Budka addressed a remark from a left-wing leader, Adrian Zandberg, who suggested that the UAE’s undemocratic nature undermines Sikorski’s prospects of leading the foreign ministry in the future. Budka offered a pragmatic take, suggesting that rivals should focus on defeating PiS first before negotiating roles.
Asked if Sikorski remains a strong candidate for the foreign ministry, Budka stated that no one in the PO is discussing a division of roles at the moment.
“It’s not a problem, it’s a huge asset.”
Tomasz Siemoniak, in an RMF FM interview, expressed a highly favorable view of Sikorski, praising his global network and noting that, alongside Donald Tusk, Sikorski is among the politicians with the most expansive international contacts. Siemoniak stressed that Sikorski is not a liability for the Civic Platform but an asset based on his experience and reach.
Siemoniak emphasized Sikorski’s past roles as a minister, a marshal, and a prominent figure within the Civic Coalition, underscoring that those roles reinforce the value he brings to the party and to Poland’s foreign policy discourse.
Clarifications from Sikorski
Sikorski addressed the NRC piece via social media, expressing surprise at the tone and content of the coverage regarding his status as a member of the Sir Bani Yas Forum. He noted that his ancillary activities are clearly declared in the financial interests statement submitted to the European Parliament and the Polish Parliament, which identifies his role on the advisory board of the Sir Bani Yas Forum. He stressed that income from his company Sikorski Global is taxed in Poland.
Sikorski described the Sir Bani Yas Forum as a highly regarded forum in the Middle East. He highlighted that members include prominent figures such as a former Australian prime minister, a former British foreign secretary, and a former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations. He added that in 2017 he was invited to join the forum’s advisory board as a senior fellow with the Center for European Studies at Harvard University, years before the European Parliament elections. He argued that this distinguished role should not be conflated with his duties as a Member of the European Parliament.
He asserted that his votes in the European Parliament were not influenced by external activities and that, on votes concerning the UAE and Saudi Arabia, he voted in line with the recommendations of his group, the EPP. He stated that his advisory board membership did not affect his parliamentary decisions.
In a separate note, Sikorski reaffirmed that his ancillary income is accurately declared in the official asset statements published by the Sejm. The statements from 2019 through 2024 show income from serving on the advisory board of the Sir Bani Yas Forum and confirm the annual amount received in each year.
kk/PAP/RMF FM
Source: wPolityce