Posted on 03/11/2007 12:40:39 PM PDT by lizol
Poland boosts U.S. ties, differs from EU
By JAN SLIVA, Associated Press Writer
Wed Mar 7, 1:27 PM ET
BRUSSELS, Belgium - Since identical twins Lech and Jaroslaw Kaczynski shot to power in Poland last year, the EU newcomer has become the bloc's enfant terrible — deepening ties with Washington and displaying Euro-skepticism on everything from the economy to the environment.
That could become a major headache for the European Union as it strives to re-ignite momentum for a common European vision and cobble together a pact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions at a summit Thursday and Friday.
Experts say the truculent diplomacy of the Kaczynski twins — Jaroslaw is prime minister and Lech is president — is a risky course to take at EU headquarters in Brussels, where a veneer of civility is preferred to overtly hostile negotiations.
Poland, which joined the EU in 2004, depends heavily on the bloc for economic subsidies and can ill afford to antagonize its fellow members.
"The Polish government has not understood the rules of the game 100 percent," said Amanda Akcakoca, a policy analyst with the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based think tank. "They're flexing their muscles and testing how far they can go."
While Polish society is growing cooler toward Washington and firmly supports EU membership, the Kaczynski government has reinforced its loyalty to the Bush administration despite the increasing chaos in Iraq.
Indeed, Jaroslaw Kaczynski has signaled a willingness to host a U.S. missile defense base on Polish territory as long as the deal bolsters Poland's security as well as that of NATO allies.
Warsaw is also beefing up its presence in Afghanistan from about 200 soldiers to more than 1,000, and has maintained a military presence in Iraq — now at 900 troops — even as other allies have pulled out.
Meanwhile, the list of issues disputed between Warsaw and EU headquarters grows by the week — and the Polish government shows no signs of backing down.
When Environment Minister Jan Szyszko came here last month to patch things up with the European Commission, which has threatened to sue Poland over a planned highway through a protected peat bog, he did not offer concessions so the EU would drop its case.
"The procedure will run its course. I am convinced that Poland has acted in accordance with laws and its interests," Szyszko said, indicating Poland was not afraid of being hauled before the EU's highest court.
Energy is another issue of contention. Poland has been reluctant to back an EU target of generating 20 percent of all energy from renewable resources by 2020 for fear that would stifle its economic growth.
At this week's summit, EU leaders hope to establish targets that would push Europe to cut its greenhouse gases and increase the use of renewables. But those plans are at the mercy of Poland since any new EU legislation requires the backing of all members.
"Poland has recently shown how little it cares for the environment and future generations. European leaders must ignore the Polish government attempts to ruin EU climate policy," said Stephan Singer, a campaigner with the World Wildlife Fund.
Poland's government has also emerged as one of the most vehement critics of the proposed EU constitution. But analysts are quick to point out that the Euro-skepticism of Polish politicians is at odds with the strong support for the EU among ordinary Poles.
They also stress that much of the amateur feel of the Polish government stems from the efforts by the Kaczynski brothers to remove all officials with ties to the communist regime, regardless of their experience.
"The Kaczynskis are interested mostly in internal issues and they are willing to sacrifice efficiency and competence within the EU at the altar of domestic account settling," said Jacek Kucharczyk, deputy head of the Warsaw-based Institute of Public Affairs.
"In some cases, Warsaw displays ignorance of how the EU works. So you have a mixture of assertiveness and a kind of aggressiveness resulting from ignorance," he said.
At the European Commission, officials complain that the way Poland — which has had five finance ministers in the past 16 months — disregards its advice on financial matters is hard to understand considering its shaky economic performance.
Since 2003, Poland's jobless rate has fallen from 20.7 percent to 15 percent, but mainly due to more than 1 million people leaving to work in Britain, Ireland and other Western European countries.
Poland, a staunchly Roman Catholic nation of 39 million people, still has miserably low wages across many sectors by European standards — even for doctors and scientists — and dilapidated roads, railways and houses.
Poland's per capita gross domestic product has risen more slowly than any other new EU member state between 2000 to 2006, according to a report by the Center of European Reform, a London-based think tank.
Considering that Poland was many times the corridor from which Russia was invaded.....Ivan can't be happy with this.
Much like the drive by media does here, they will say anything to make the polish people turn against their government. Poland has not forgotten what life was like under the Soviet Union. When the polish people see the wealth that liberty and free markets create, its no wonder their balking at the EU system.
St. Peatersbog ?
...and the Pittsburgh analogies just keep comin'!
"displaying Euro-skepticism on everything from the economy to the environment"
I think it's about time to put Polish jokes to rest. They're smarter than the rest of Europe!
They didnt gain their freedom from 40 years of Soviet domination just to hand it back to another set of tyrants.
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