A recent poll reveals over 40% of Poles disapprove of President Karol Nawrocki’s response to a journalist’s question following a meeting with the Hungarian president.
Nawrocki’s Response Draws Criticism
A survey conducted for “Rzeczpospolita” by SW Research asked respondents to evaluate President Karol Nawrocki’s reaction to a TVN24 journalist after a joint press conference with Hungarian President Tamás Sulyok. 42% of those surveyed viewed the behavior negatively, while 27.6% viewed it positively. 20.9% were unaware of the incident, and 9.3% had no opinion.
The negative perception of Karol Nawrocki’s behavior is more pronounced among respondents over 50 years old (52%) and those with higher education (48%). This opinion is also shared by half of the survey participants earning over 7,000 złoty net and over sixty percent of residents of major cities, according to Przemysław Wesołowski, president of the SW Research agency.
“You Need to Get a Grip”
The question that angered Polish President Karol Nawrocki was posed by TVN24 journalist Mateusz Półchłopek after the joint statement by Poland and Hungary’s presidents, Karol Nawrocki and Tamás Sulyok. The Hungarian president visited Przemyśl on Monday, March 23rd, for the Days of Polish-Hungarian Friendship. Nawrocki then traveled to Budapest to meet with Viktor Orbán, who is currently campaigning for re-election.
The Exchange with the Journalist
No time was allocated for questions from the media after the statement, but the TVN24 journalist managed to ask: “Mr. President, does Viktor Orbán’s familiarity with Vladimir Putin bother you?” Nawrocki began to leave the stage but, after a brief consultation with his spokesperson, decided to return.
He then approached the journalist, stating: “What do you want to ask? Didn’t you listen to the press conference? Didn’t you listen to what I think about Vladimir Putin, editor? Did you make materials claiming Putin was pursuing me? You need to get a grip and listen to what the President of Poland says. I am telling you, editor, Vladimir Putin is a criminal. Do you understand, editor? Goodbye.”
Polish-Hungarian Friendship and Putin’s Threat
Prior to the exchange, the Polish President spoke about Polish-Hungarian friendship, emphasizing that the two countries’ policies and interests align in many areas, but not in all.
“As friends, we must be aware that we do not agree on everything. There are issues on which we agree to disagree. For Poland, Vladimir Putin and the Russian Federation are an existential threat, just as the Bolsheviks were in 1920. Poles love Hungarians, they hate Vladimir Putin, who is a war criminal and nothing more,” Nawrocki stated. He added that states make their own diplomatic choices.
