Free Republic

LONDON— When Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Beata Szydlo swept to an election victory late last year, one of the first things her government did was remove the blue European Union flag from the backdrop of her news conferences, and leave only the red and white Polish flag. It was a symbolic, patriotic gesture that signaled a more distant relationship with Brussels. At the same time in Austria, more than 260,000 citizens signed a petition that forced the Austrian parliament to open a discussion on a referendum to leave the European Union. Eurosceptics in both countries are now watching Britain’s march...

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- Poland's new prime minister has broken with the practice of pro-European predecessors and has removed the EU flag from her weekly news conference. Beata Szydlo appeared Tuesday to brief reporters after the first working meeting with her Cabinet since the conservative Law and Justice party took power last week, and stood in front of Polish flags only. Asked about the change, Szydlo said that in these difficult times she is grateful that Poland belongs to NATO and the EU, but that government press briefings devoted to national matters will from now on take place "against the...