Poland's parliament adopts resolution on foreign interference in country’s elections

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – Poland will consider any foreign influence in its electoral process to be an act hostile to the state “and will resolutely fight against it,” according to a resolution adopted Thursday by parliament.

The ruling was prepared by members of parliament (MPs) from the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party and 204 MPs in the Sejm, or lower house of parliament, voted in favor of the legislation with 175 voting against it and 10 abstaining.

The resolution is being seen as a response to Manfred Weber, a German politician and president of the European People’s Party (EPP), who during a recent interview ruled out any cooperation with the PiS, which he compared to the far-right German AfD party.

Weber went on to accuse the PiS and similar parties of disregarding the rule of law and attacking the free media.

The Polish parliament’s resolution states that the “combative” language of some politicians who “claim to be exemplary Europeans” as well as the “usurping nature of any ambitions to shape the political scene in Poland through external forces and influences” would be considered “unacceptable interference in the electoral process.”