Polish president’s aides threaten to block foreign minister’s EU commissioner bid

As Polish Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski began the process of recalling more than 50 foreign ambassadors, the president’s chief of staff warned that a lack of cooperation on foreign policy could lead to disapproval of Sikorski’s bid to head the new EU Defence Commissioner portfolio.

Although the Polish foreign minister has never publicly acknowledged that he would be interested in a new EU job, words of support have come from the likes of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. If Sikorski were given a “serious portfolio” that could “really strengthen Europe”, it would be an “interesting proposal”, he said during his recent visit to the US.

For now, Sikorski is concentrating on his current job, which has involved numerous trips abroad, including accompanying Tusk on a trip to Washington, a rare opportunity to work with President Andrzej Duda, who is backed by the former ruling Law and Justice party (PiS).

Shortly afterwards, Poland’s foreign minister began sacking more than 50 foreign ambassadors and withdrew support for some of the candidacies submitted by the previous minister.

Diplomatic spat will probably continue

For the president’s camp, the move was surprising as it came one day after the end of a trip that was considered to be quite successful.

On the other hand, the government argues that it is exercising its power and consults the president beforehand.

“It is only the beginning of the procedure. We are going to do it in a civilised manner. Before, it has not always been the case,” Sikorski explained in an interview with the RMF FM radio broadcaster after the ministry communicated its decision in a press release.

Marcin Mastalerek, the president’s chief of staff, argued that it was difficult to speak of an agreement. “These are ambassadors of the Republic of Poland, not the government,” he told Polsat News on Sunday, referring to an attempt at “extreme politicisation of democracy”.

Regarding media reports that Sikorski could be a Polish candidate for a future EU defence commissioner, Mastalerek added that the issue could seriously hamper his chances.

“I would like to remind Minister Sikorski that if he behaves in this way and (…) does not cooperate with the president in foreign policy, this will be, in my opinion, a sufficient reason not to approve his candidacy for a commissioner,” he said.

The diplomatic spat is likely to continue, especially since the Polish parliament passed a law giving the president more power over EU foreign policy last year, including appointing commissioners and judges to the European Court of Justice.

According to the daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna, this is why the government wants to proceed cautiously, fearing a possible backlash during the process that will begin after the EU elections.

Although initial reports suggested that Sikorski had effectively ended the ambassadors’ mission, this is impossible because, under Polish law, the president makes the final decision. This means that it will be one of many areas where the current liberal government and the conservative president will have to negotiate.

(Sonia Otfinowska | Euractiv.pl)