Polish Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski disputes US Ambassador Tom Rose’s criticism of Poland’s veto on the EU Digital Services Act.
Gawkowski Reacts to US Ambassador’s Remarks
On Thursday (January 15), Krzysztof Gawkowski published a post responding to the US Ambassador, emphasizing that Tom Rose “is mistaken.” According to the Minister of Digital Affairs, “Respect for the partnership between Poland and the USA must begin with facts.”
The Digital Services Act implementation in Poland protects Polish citizens from digital pathologies including illegal content, fraud, and hate speech against children and young people. Gawkowski noted that none of the Act’s provisions blocked investments, development, or company expansions in Poland, regardless of their country of origin.
He stated, “Freedom without responsibility is non-sovereignty, it is powerlessness. And a strong state protects its society, it does not give up this protection in the name of corporate interests. Even those coming from our most important ally.”
US Ambassador’s Criticism of Poland’s Veto
US Ambassador Tom Rose praised Polish President Karol Nawrocki for vetoing what he described as a “punitive and anti-American EU Digital Services Act.”
Ambassador Rose argued that the law would weaken Poland by stifling innovation, creating barriers for new market entrants, and preventing Polish companies from scaling. He claimed it would replace Polish innovation with “Brussels bureaucrats, lawyers and auditors” and replace clear rules with “regulatory freedom.”
The Ambassador concluded that Poland wins “by building, scaling and exporting” and that “a system that punishes for scale ensures dependence, not sovereignty.”
Gawkowski’s Response to Elon Musk
Earlier, Krzysztof Gawkowski criticized Elon Musk, who had praised the president’s veto with the word “bravo.” The Minister stated, “This veto is not a victory, it is a shame.”
He added, “We should protect our citizens from digital dirt, not defend the interests of those who pump it on an industrial scale. Congratulations to everyone who values the toxic ‘freedom’ of platforms more than the safety of their own society.”
