Polish President’s Prague lecture shows similarities to controversial Ordo Iuris report, prompting Sikorski to call the group a “fundamentalist sect.”
Nawrocki’s Lecture in Prague
Polish President Karol Nawrocki delivered a lecture at Charles University in Prague on November 24, presenting his vision of the European Union. He called for rejecting centralization trends in the EU, claiming this would weaken member states except for the two largest.
Similarities with Ordo Iuris Report
The Polish portal Goniec reported similarities between Nawrocki’s speech and a report by the right-wing think tank Ordo Iuris titled “The Great Reset: Restoring Sovereignty of EU Member States.” The portal provided examples of similar phrasing, including Nawrocki’s statement “There is no European demos; its existence cannot be decreed” which mirrored Ordo Iuris’ document stating “There is no European demos. A political community cannot be created without a nation.”
President’s Office Confirms Authorship
In response to inquiries, the President’s Office confirmed that Nawrocki authored the speech delivered in Prague. Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski commented on the findings, writing: “The fundamentalist sect Ordo Iuris is trying to push us back to the 19th century in social policy and foreign policy. Thank you, I’ve already seen this movie, it’s ominous for us.”
Hungarian Partners of Ordo Iuris
The Ordo Iuris report was prepared in cooperation with the Hungarian think tank and private university Mathias Corvinus Collegium (MCC). Goniec reported that MCC received substantial state funding in 2020, including 10% stakes in companies MOL and Gedeon Richter, as well as cash and properties worth over a billion dollars.
Controversies Surrounding Ordo Iuris
The organization describes itself as an “independent, legal think tank” that “fights for respect for basic rights guaranteed in the Constitution – the right to life, the identity of marriage and family, freedom of conscience.” Ordo Iuris has long been controversial due to its ultra-conservative character. The organization has advocated for Poland’s withdrawal from the so-called anti-violence convention. Lawyers from Ordo Iuris have also represented anti-abortion activists in courts who place graphic materials in public spaces.
