Poland took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union for six months, following Hungary’s controversial mandate.
With the slogan “Safety, Europe!” Poland takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and for the second time in Polish historical past begins a six-month rotation.
The nation holding the presidency has the duty of guiding the work of the Council and representing all member states in negotiations with the opposite EU establishments. The advert rotates among the many 27 EU member states each six months, with Hungary set to finish its controversial mandate in December.
Marked by the continuing conflict in neighboring Ukraine and the escalation of tensions on the Polish-Belarusian border – which Prime Minister Donald Tusk known as an instance of “hybrid warfare” – the Polish presidency will take a broad imaginative and prescient of strengthening safety and protection European.
This signifies that Poland “will help actions geared toward strengthening European safety in all its dimensions: exterior, inside, data, financial, vitality, meals and well being”, in keeping with the official program of the Polish presidency.
During the EU presidency, Poland additionally plans to host over 300 official conferences, 22 casual councils of EU ministers and round 200 cultural occasions.
Made up of all heads of state and authorities of the EU member states, the European Council units the EU’s agenda and priorities and discusses laws proposed by the EU Commission.
“We are able to take over the presidency,” Adam Szłapka, minister for European Union affairs, mentioned at a press convention in December, “however it is usually essential for us that Europe speaks our language and realizes what It’s extra essential.”
“Nothing is extra essential as we speak than taking duty for our frequent safety,” he added.
The Polish presidency follows the controversial Hungarian one. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has used his presidency to repeatedly block EU sanctions in opposition to Russia in the course of the conflict in Ukraine and to publicize his controversial “peace mission” to finish the conflict.
Poland’s rise to prominence within the European Union additionally comes at a vital second within the nation’s home politics. The rotation comes simply over a 12 months after the ouster of Poland’s national-conservative Law and Justice authorities, and just some months earlier than presidential elections – which many see as a check for Tusk’s Civic Coalition get together.
Poland, underneath the Law and Justice authorities, was as soon as an exception to what have been thought-about shared European values and customary pursuits. The nation has confronted fines and withholdings of funds for falling out with the EU management over points reminiscent of LGBTQ+ rights and immigration, and for controversial judicial reforms that the EU deemed democratically backward.
“We have taken full duty for what is going on and can occur in Poland within the coming years,” Tusk, decidedly extra pro-EU than his predecessor, mentioned in an announcement launched on Poland’s assumption of the presidency .
“What we now have inherited begs us to make tough selections.”
