Tusk Positive About Polish Presidency, Despite Presidential Snub

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Europe is “lucky” to have Poland at the helm of the EU Presidency, pledging “courage and reason” during its term, but the spectre of relations with the opposition president could haunt its term.

A glitzy official opening ceremony took place in Warsaw on Friday, Jan. 3, attended by politicians, diplomats, Tusk, and European Council President Antonio Costa. But conspicuously absent was President Andrzej Duda, who opted to go skiing instead, laying bare some of the country’s ongoing political woes.

Poland will take over the EU presidency for the second time since joining the European Union, with Tusk also serving as prime minister the last time Poland was at the helm of the EU in 2011. His term is seen as a welcome change to the conservative PiS (ECR) government, which had thorny relations with the European Commission, especially regarding judicial independence in the country.

However, the ongoing ‘cold war’ between the government and the PiS-nominated, soon-to-be outgoing president, Andrzej Duda, may also cause issues.

Duda was criticised for not attending Friday’s opening gala, where he was replaced by an aide. Instead, he decided to visit a ski resort for the weekend.

“If the president had wanted to attend this gala, he would simply have come. He was invited and expected to come,” State Secretary for European Affairs Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka told private broadcaster TVN24.

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The head of the president’s office, Małgorzata Paprocka, told the media he was absent because the government did not follow up after the invitation, leading “to the conclusion that the organisers did not consider the event to be important.”

While all parliamentary parties had been invited, only two PiS officials appeared.

Tusk found the presidency’s excuse “complicated” and wished him a safe skiing trip.

In response, PiS MP Radosław Fogiel called Tusk an “internet troll”, while Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski called Duda’s decision “embarrassing” and “disingenuous”, adding he had “made a mockery of himself”.

As bitter as relations between Tusk’s government and Duda are, the conflict will likely not spoil the presidency. The president has limited powers regarding the EU, and the prime minister represents the country in the European Council.

During the Presidency, Poland will hold a presidential election, the date of which will be announced later this month. Warsaw mayor Rafał Trzaskowski, the candidate of Tusk’s Civic Coalition (EPP), is leading the polls ahead of PiS’ Karol Nawrocki.

However, the new president will not take office until the end of Poland’s EU presidency in June.

Europe is lucky“Europe is lucky that in this challenging moment of our history, it is Poland that takes over the presidency,” Tusk said during the opening ceremony on Friday, adding that the country would “draw on its national wisdom and experience.”

He cited the Latin maxim “Nec temere, nec timide” as a principle that would guide the Polish presidency of the Council.

“Courage and reason was also the motto of the great Solidarity movement, one of the foundations of modern Europe. Today, the word ‘solidarity’ may carry more weight than ever in post-war European history. And Poland will stand as the guardian of this solidarity,” Tusk said.

Costa, who attended his first EU presidency launch since taking office last month, praised Poland as “definitely one of the greatest success stories of [the EU] enlargement.”

“[It is] the best geostrategic investment Europe has made to guarantee freedom and democracy after long periods of totalitarianism,” he added.

Different pillars of security

The motto Poland chose for its presidency, “Security, Europe!” is a play on Bill Clinton’s “It’s the economy, stupid”, said the Polish government, noting that the quote perfectly encapsulates the country’s ambitions for the next six months.

Tusk added that the sources of Europe’s greatness - freedom, a sense of sovereignty, and our culture - are all worth the effort, and some say they are even worth the highest sacrifice.

“Let us do everything possible so that Europe and Poland do not have to pay the ultimate price for freedom, strength, and sovereignty,” he continued.

As the EU prepares for Donald Trump’s return to the White House this month, Warsaw seeks a leading role in shaping European security policy, including military, home affairs, energy, health, food security, cybersecurity and the fight against disinformation.

Among its military priorities, Poland wants to increase defence spending and fund military infrastructure, especially on the bloc’s eastern flank, the government said in its programme approved last month.

What is on the agenda?As part of its EU presidency, Poland also wants to curb irregular migration and improve the effectiveness of returns, including in cooperation with third countries, as well as counter the instrumentalisation of migration, which Poland accuses Minsk and Moscow of.

On energy, Poland said it would insist on reducing the EU’s dependence on Russian energy sources and lowering energy prices.

On agriculture, Poland has pledged to “shape a strong Common Agriculture Policy” with an emphasis on encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable practices rather than imposing requirements - a response to last year’s farmer protests, which were particularly virulent in Poland.

Faced with the possible imposition of US tariffs on EU exports, Poland said it would support “deepening the EU single market,” remove barriers to cross-border business, and “ restore fair competition conditions” for EU industries.

Poland also promises to discuss how the EU’s cohesion policy should be shaped in the future as new Commission Vice-President Raffaele Fitto promotes its reform.

While the priorities sound adequate, they fall short on climate policy, says Zofia Wetmańska of the Reform Institute.

“Focusing only on the threads mentioned carries a high opportunity cost - it will be a wasted opportunity,” Wetmańska told Euractiv Poland, adding that Poland not mentioning climate policy - while unfortunate - is understandable.

Poland: a leader of Europe?

Poland’s presidency comes at a good time for the country, as it has a chance to become a political leader in Europe, says political marketing expert Mirosław Oczkoś.

“Germany is weak, Emmanuel Macron, although with a strong mandate, is not in a strong position, and Giorgia Meloni seems to be trying to play above her means, although she is trying hard,” he told Euractiv in an interview.

Especially amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, Trump’s return to the White House, and the situation in Syria, the EU needs strong leadership, he said.

If successful, the EU presidency could be of great benefit to Tusk’s government, the expert added.

“If the presidency is successful, for example, by making progress on migration, this will be a major asset for the coalition and for Rafał Trzaskowski,” he also said.