In a recent interview, Włodzimierz Czarzasty said that “I really don’t know what kind of sucker you have to be not to take 180 billion zlotys right now” – referring to the SAFE program. It was a response to a question about a possible veto by President Karol Nawrocki.
“Today we should not be using such words with regard to the head of state. I think he would also feel offended or upset if someone used such words about him,” assessed a member of the government – Minister of Agriculture Stefan Krajewski.
On Friday, the Sejm approved four Senate amendments to the act implementing the EU loan program for rearmament under SAFE. The amendments provide, among other things, for loan repayments to be made outside the Ministry of National Defence budget and for anti-corruption safeguards for the project. Speaker of the Sejm Włodzimierz Czarzasty signed the act and sent it to the president’s desk. Karol Nawrocki now has 21 days to make a decision.
An Insult – Then a Call for Talks
Two days ago, Włodzimierz Czarzasty gave an interview to Wirtualna Polska. In the context of the conflict in the Middle East, the discussion turned to SAFE. The president’s decision – whether he will sign the bill or veto it – remains uncertain. Nevertheless, Czarzasty made the following statement:
“I would be very surprised if the president did not sign this bill, because that would, in my opinion, be acting to the detriment of the state, against the interests of the Polish state. […] I really don’t know what kind of sucker you have to be not to take 180 billion zlotys right now, which is being offered over a perspective of 40 or 50 years at a level of 3 percent.”
He went on to say that anyone blocking these funds would be acting against Poland’s raison d’état.
Just one day later, Czarzasty published an “appeal” to the president on social media. In the video, he called on the head of state to engage in talks. This time, the word “sucker” did not appear.
Stefan Krajewski, Minister of Agriculture in Donald Tusk’s government, was asked about the Speaker’s shifting stance on air on TV Republika.
“Should Czarzasty withdraw those words?” he was asked.
“I think so. Today we should not be using such words with regard to the head of state. I think he would also feel offended or upset if someone used such words about him,” Krajewski replied.
When asked whether the Speaker had “gone too far,” Krajewski indicated:
“I think those words should not have been spoken. I was also dissatisfied with the president’s decisions, for example regarding the active farmer bill, but I did not use such words. I even tried to justify the president in some way, saying that perhaps it was more the role of his advisers.”
In his view, “we should be talking, because we see how serious the threats on the horizon are. Really – it is time to end this Polish-Polish quarrel, because we see what is happening around us.”