German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s recent speech in the European Parliament, which called for the abolition of the principle of unanimity in certain areas of EU policy, has been met with a resounding “no” from Poland’s Minister of Justice, Attorney General Zbigniew Ziobro. At a press conference held on May 9th, Ziobro strongly opposed Scholz’s demands for unanimity in foreign policy, security, and taxation, saying that it would undermine the fundamental principle of equality among EU member states.
Moreover, Ziobro also called out Scholz’s controversial statement about Germany’s role in World War II, where he portrayed Germany as a victim of Nazism rather than the aggressor responsible for crimes and genocide. Ziobro accused Scholz of falsifying history and trying to rewrite it, saying that Scholz’s words were reminiscent of Joseph Goebbels’ creative ingenuity.
Ziobro warned that Germany’s push to reduce the principle of unanimity is a step towards turning the EU into a single state and would be a threat to Poland’s sovereignty. This comes after Germany has been accused of consistently pursuing its plan to limit Polish sovereignty by breaking treaties and using blackmail. Deputy Minister Sebastian Kaleta echoed Ziobro’s warning and pledged to strongly oppose any such efforts.
Deputy Climate and Environment Minister Jacek Ozdoba added that Scholz’s proposals for the EU hide a deadly poison under the gold of a beautiful candy. He also mentioned the words of Robert Schuman, one of the founding fathers of the EU, and how Scholz’s plan would be going against Schuman’s vision.
Poland’s opposition to Germany’s plans to threaten Polish sovereignty is unwavering, and Ziobro and his colleagues are committed to fighting against any attempts to undermine Poland’s independence within the EU.