Skip to main content
By

Poland fury over 'attack' by EU's Tusk

The Polish government has accused EU Council President Donald Tusk of "attacking Poland" after he voiced alarm at the government's policies.
"Today, by using his position to attack the Polish government, he is attacking Poland," Prime Minister Beata Szydlo tweeted. Her nationalist government has been in power for two years.
Earlier Mr Tusk, a former Polish prime minister, linked her government to a "Kremlin plan", without elaborating.
The two leaders have long been rivals.
Ms Szydlo's Law and Justice Party (PiS) is in dispute with the European Commission on several fronts: its refusal to accept refugees under an EU relocation scheme; its encouragement of logging in an ancient forest; and its refashioning of Poland's media and judiciary. The commission accuses PiS of jeopardising EU rule of law values.
In a tweet in Polish on Sunday, Mr Tusk. a centre-right liberal, said: "Alarm! Severe dispute with Ukraine, isolation within the European Union, departure from the rule of law and judicial independence, attack on the nongovernmental sector and free media. Is this a Law and Justice strategy or a Kremlin plan? Too similar to sleep peacefully."
Mr Tusk's reference to the Kremlin appeared to link PiS to alleged Russian interference in EU countries and Ukraine.
logging in Bialowieza forestImage copyrightAFP/ GETTY IMAGES
Image captionLogging in the protected Bialowieza forest is among the disputes between Poland and Brussels

Poland-Ukraine tensions

Poland has been one of the most vocal critics of Russia since Moscow annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula in 2014 and backed pro-Russian separatist rebels in eastern Ukraine.
In recent years Poland has backed Ukraine's drive for closer ties with the EU, but much bitterness remains in Polish-Ukrainian relations.
A row erupted on Saturday when Polish border guards refused to allow in the head of Ukraine's commemoration commission, Svyatoslav Sheremet.
Poland's state-owned news agency PAP said the move was in response to a Ukrainian ban on the exhumation of Poles killed in Ukraine during World War Two.
Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski also reacted angrily to Mr Tusk's tweet, calling it "a desperate scream of frustration".
Mr Tusk "has been unable to carve out an active role in European politics for himself, so he is trying to plunge back into Polish politics", he said.
In March Ms Szydlo tried and failed to block the European Council's reappointment of Mr Tusk as council president, at an EU summit. She was the only leader to oppose Mr Tusk among the 28 member states.
There is speculation that Mr Tusk is preparing for a presidential bid in Poland once he completes his tenure in Brussels.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

By
Buhari receives 2017 Hajj report — 13th November 2017 From: Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, received the report on the 2017 Hajj Operations as well as preparations for the 2018 exercise. Chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Mukhtar Mohammed, briefed the President in his office, according to sources. The NAHCON boss was said to have given “a brief update on Hajj 2017 and what the commission is planning for the 2018 religious exercise,” to the President. The sources also said the president commended NAHCON for the smooth Hajj operations in 2017 and encouraged the commission to go a step further and ensure that next year’s operations surpassed that of this year. A total of  79,000 pilgrims made the 2017 hajj, making Nigeria among the top 10 list of countries with highest number of pilgrims that made this year’s Hajj. A total number of 14 Nigerian pilgrims died during this ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Russia investigation zeroes in on Trump inner circle

By
Russia investigation zeroes in on Trump inner circle STORY HIGHLIGHTS Mueller charged Flynn with one count of lying to the FBI It raises questions about how high up Mueller's investigation will reach Washington (CNN) Michael Flynn's downfall  Friday exacerbated grave legal and political risks that represent the most serious threat to any administration for at least 40 years, and could eventually imperil the Trump presidency itself. The plea deal cut by the fired national security adviser with Special Counsel Robert Mueller undermines much of what the White House has said about the Russia controversy engulfing the presidency. It means there is now no credible way for  President Donald Trump  to claim the Russia investigation is a hoax, made up, fake news or a witch hunt. It raises questions about who higher up the chain of command in Trump's orbit -- possibly even including the President himself -- is in Mueller's sights after he agreed to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make first appearance after engagement

By
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle make first appearance after engagement London (CNN) Britain's Prince Harry and the American actor  Meghan Markle  have made their first public appearance since their engagement was announced earlier Monday. The couple appeared at a photocall in the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace in London on Monday afternoon. The pair, who became engaged quietly earlier this month, will marry in spring 2018 and live at Nottingham Cottage at Kensington Palace, where Harry currently resides. Monday's announcement of the forthcoming nuptials was made by Harry's father, Prince Charles, in a statement released from his office at Clarence House. Prince Charles said he was "delighted to announce" the engagement, adding that Harry had informed "The Queen and other close members of his family." "Prince Harry has also sought and received the blessing of Ms. Markle's parents," the statement added. The couple wil...
Post a Comment
Read more