A German Member of European Parliament and one of the leaders of the Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) called on the European Commission to be ready to freeze assets for Poland again if the new President Karol Nawrocki decides to veto the government reforms in the rule of law area. According to Körner, “the advance of trust that Poland received after the parliamentary elections has been used up.” The opinion sparked outrage in Poland. 

“The advance of trust that Poland received after the parliamentary elections has been used up. The grace period for Poland’s rule-of-law issues is over. The Polish government must now pass all the legislation necessary to restore the rule of law in the country. If the newly elected president blocks the essential reforms with his veto, the EU must again freeze funds to Poland. Ursula von der Leyen must clarify that if the Poles want a continuation of the boycott policy, they will receive a continuation of the sanctions. The blame for this will then lie with the president,” Körner wrote in an X post. 

The post was criticised by Polish politicians, X users.

“Arrogance and lecturing threw your party out of government and out of the Bundestag, my friend – but I see that you won’t draw any lessons until the citizens throw you out of the European Parliament as well. Given your country’s history when it comes to the rule of law and financial matters, you ought to be ashamed to remain silent. You owe Poland over €1.5 trillion,” wrote the ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk. 

Even members of the AfD party from Germany, including Polish-born MEP Tomasz Froelich.

“Hardly has the new president been democratically elected, and already you’re threatening sanctions simply because Nawrocki doesn’t quite fit your worldview. Anyone who doesn’t comply gets sanctioned – it’s like a social credit system on a supranational level. And in societies that spent a long time under the Soviet yoke, this evokes painful memories. You have no idea how humiliating and arrogant your words and your entire political approach must come across in countries like Hungary, Poland, or Slovakia, because you entirely lack cultural sensitivity. Read The Light that Failed by Krastev and Holmes – then you’ll understand what I mean, instead of behaving like a colonial overlord. The fact that it takes someone on the right like me to point this out speaks volumes,” Froelich replied. 

Source: X

Photo:X/@moritzkoerner

Tomasz Modrzejewski