Poland may have to forego a lot of money from the EU. Because the country does not comply with the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in all respects, the EU Commission is threatening to withhold funds from the EU budget’s Cohesion Fund. The EU countries undertake to grant associations and institutions fair and equal access to the funds. Poland obviously has no interest in that. According to Brussels, the country itself has recognized that it does not comply with the Charter of Fundamental Rights.
The right-wing populist Polish government celebrated two agreements with the EU in June as great successes. First, the EU Commission approved Poland’s plan for using the funds from the Corona reconstruction fund. Which was heavily criticized by both Polish opposition politicians and EU parliamentarians. This involves a total of 36 billion euros, of which nothing has been paid out so far, however, because the EU rejects the Polish government’s efforts to return to an independent judiciary as insufficient.
President Duda compares the EU to the Soviet Union
Shortly thereafter, the Commission and the Polish government signed the Partnership Agreement for the Cohesion Fund. This is about the budget period from 2021 to 2027, Poland could receive a total of 76.5 billion euros in this period. The funds are intended for the expansion of the rail network and local transport, for marine protection, the transition to a climate-neutral economy in the coal regions and also for social projects.
The cohesion fund is particularly important for municipalities and local administrations, which, with the help of the EU, can expand the roads for tourists in their towns or prepare migrants for the local job market. In Poland, many cities and voivodeships that are not run by members of the governing parties complain that they are not getting enough funds. Especially since the PiS government is centralizing the country more and more.
While now different Bankers and economists warn against itthe lack of EU money could accelerate and worsen a recession, the government and president react as usual: They reject everything or blame others. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro from the far-right coalition party Solidarna Polska immediately blamed Germany and opposition leader Donald Tusk. Tusk wants a government “that submits to Berlin and Brussels.”
When in doubt, the government always blames Germany: also for the recession and the possible lack of money from Brussels, as Poland’s Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro claims.
(Photo: Hubert Mathis/imago images/ZUMA Wire)
President Andrzej Duda resisted “that the European institutions continue to interfere in Polish politics” and compared the EU to the Soviet Union. The dispute over the cohesion fund is not about Poland’s judicial system or the rule of law, but about minority rights and equal participation. Money only flows if the Charter of Fundamental Rights is observed, that is one of the prerequisites.
The partnership agreements between the states and the EU Commission state: “When preparing their programs, the member states must assess whether the basic requirements have been met.”
Brussels gives Poland some time to approach Europe
Apparently, Poland itself has quite openly informed the EU that the conditions are not met. The current Polish government fundamentally does not share the positions of the EU Commission on what can be prescribed to the states and is sticking to its positions, according to Commission circles. Currently, 24 out of 27 EU countries comply with the charter standards, so Poland is not alone with this problem. But the positions are probably only so clearly apart here.
Poland still has time to approach the EU. According to Brussels, there are talks about how the guidelines could be met.