Polish Foreign Minister Sikorski responds sharply after Justice Minister Ziobro complained to the US ambassador about EU fund withholding.
Ziobro’s Complaint to US Ambassador
Zbigniew Ziobro claimed that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen “blackmailed Poland by freezing billions of dollars to overthrow the conservative government and install Donald Tusk as prime minister.” It should be noted that EU funds can be withheld for countries where “established rule of law violations hinder the management of EU funds.” This is called the conditionality mechanism, approved by MEPs in 2020. Rule of law concerns were raised by judicial reforms carried out by the PiS government.
Ziobro Criticizes Sikorski’s Double Standards
Ziobro then wrote that for Radosław Sikorski, it was not interference in Poland’s internal affairs or its sovereignty when Donald Trump supported Karol Nawrocki for president and J.D. Vance advocated for equal treatment of conservatives and true freedom of speech in Europe, but Sikorski condemned it as “completely outrageous,” “unacceptable interference” and an attempt to impose values from one side of the Atlantic on the other.
It should be noted that Sikorski did not condemn conservatism or freedom of speech, but “speaking on behalf of fascism and communism.” According to Ziobro, the whole situation is “hypocrisy from liberal-left EU politicians,” after which he marked the US ambassador to Poland, Tom Rose.
Sikorski’s Response
Former Justice Minister Sikorski responded to Ziobro’s question: “Ambassador, isn’t what we see a double standard? Blackmailing the European Union is OK, supporting Trump – ‘interference’?” However, the response came from Radosław Sikorski himself.
“Zbyszku, the EC did not indicate who Poles should vote for, but applied the conditionality mechanism agreed upon by the PiS government. They withheld money because you were stepping on Polish judges’ feet. I know you’re having a difficult time, but instead of complaining to Americans, act like a man,” wrote the Minister of Foreign Affairs.