Poland’s ruling party sought to oust Agriculture Minister Stefan Krajewski over failure to block Mercosur trade deal.
Party Blunders on Minister Recall Plan
According to Wirtualna Polska, in early January, PiS club leader Marcin Błaszczak announced plans to file a motion to recall Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Stefan Krajewski. However, the parliamentary faction has not yet taken this action. Party representatives accuse Krajewski of failing to block the agreement with Mercosur. “No mistake, what can I say. Someone obviously didn’t supervise,” said one PiS deputy.
Program Conference Scheduled Amid Rural Tensions
The information also reveals that PiS planned a program conference called “Thinking Poland. Alternative 2.0” on January 24 in Ostrów Mazowiecka, focusing on agriculture. During the event, Jarosław Kaczyński is scheduled to speak, among others. The conference aims to “heat up” the situation in rural Poland.
EU Signs Trade Deal with Mercosur Countries
After 25 years of negotiations, the European Union signed a trade agreement with the four Mercosur countries. The ceremony took place in Paraguay. Most countries approved the agreement, with objections from Poland, Austria, France, Ireland, and Hungary. The agreement removes trade barriers with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay and eliminates tariffs on over 90% of products. The President of the European Commission called the agreement “historic.”
European Parliament Refers Deal to Court
At Wednesday’s session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, a motion was passed to refer the agreement to the Court of Justice in Luxembourg. The motion was prepared by a group of Polish MEPs, led by Krzysztof Hetman of the Polish People’s Party. As expected, the majority for referral was small, prevailing by 10 votes. 334 MEPs voted for referral, while 324 voted against.
Ratification and Legal Concerns
This decision may delay the ratification of the Mercosur agreement in the European Parliament, as deputies will likely delay voting on the entire agreement until the EU Court issues its verdict. The Court could announce its opinion even in two years. Some believe the agreement could be temporarily applied without waiting for the Court. This could lead to greater anger among farmers. There is also a risk of legal and commercial chaos if the Court rules in favor of the opponents of the agreement, who consider it incompatible with European law. The concerns relate to food safety – food produced in Mercosur countries does not have to meet rigorous EU requirements regarding pesticides and antibiotics. There are also doubts about the ratification process.