Poland’s main parties oppose EU treaty changes

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) – Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) and opposition Civic Platform (PO) parties both said Wednesday that they oppose changes in European Union treaties proposed by the European Parliament.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament voted in favor of a report compiled by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) recommending changes in the treaties.

"The report, approved with 305 votes in favor, 276 against and 29 abstentions, was prepared by five co-rapporteurs representing a broad majority in parliament," the EP said in a statement.

In the report, AFCO recommends changes to the bloc's two fundamental treaties: the Treaty on the European Union and the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. Its proposals would move the EU’s decision-making process from unanimity among member states towards a qualified majority and broaden and strengthen the powers of EU institutions.

The process of changing EU treaties requires unanimous approval from all EU member states.

PO leader Donald Tusk said the ideas “epitomize the kind of naive euro-enthusiasm” that created Brexit, while Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a PiS member of the European Parliament, called the proposals an “anti-democratic power grab behind citizens’ backs” that would bring about the EU’s “self-destruction,” news website Euractiv reported.

The PiS has long been opposed to centralizing the EU, while the PO has been far more Europhile.

Tusk, a former European Council president and likely Poland’s next prime minister after winning October’s elections, is supportive of European integration but said his opposition was “not because we are against progressing European integration” but rather because of the specific nature of the proposed ideas and the speed of the changes.

“No groups on the Polish political scene will allow ourselves to be involved in any decisions, games or processes that would limit Polish independence, sovereignty and interests,” he said.