On the eve of a new European Summit, the EU countries are in serious disagreement about the agreements made this summer on the budget and the so-called corona recovery fund. Poland even wants to veto if the European Union imposes conditions on the way it deals with the judiciary and the media. At the same time, the Scandinavian prime ministers, at the initiative of PvdA leader Lodewijk Asscher, are calling for the conditions to be tightened.
It all seemed in jugs and pitchers this summer. There would be a new budget, in which everyone had put a little water in the wine. In addition, there would be a special aid program so that countries seriously affected by corona this spring could borrow money to get back on their feet quickly economically. Ultimately, the leaders argued for a long time about an acceptable text about the conditions. The Netherlands wanted guarantees that the money would be well spent and an additional condition regarding the rule of law.
Poland and Hungary eventually agreed to a general wording, and especially the commitment that things would be worked out. But now that concrete texts are on the table stating that countries can be cut if they do not respect the rules of the rule of law, those countries are starting to protest vehemently.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, the leader of the ruling PiS party, thinks his country is being held hostage, he said in Polish media. “Today, the EU institutions with officials who have never been elected by the Polish people are demanding that we agree with everything.” He added that his country is on the right side of history and is committed to its sovereignty.
Asscher
Social Democrats in Europe have other concerns. There they fear that the southern member states (Portugal, Spain and Italy) in particular, which share concerns about the rule of law, will nevertheless agree to the Polish demand to make the money available without preconditions. In a letter written by Lodewijk Asscher and Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, they remind the other Social Democratic leaders that this summer’s deals were green and social. But that now threatens a trade-off on one of the most important principles, namely the fundamental values of the rule of law. They therefore call on the other leaders to remain strong: ‘shoulder to shoulder’, so that they can resist the efforts of countries such as Poland.
The leaders are trying to stay away from the discussion for the time being. David Sassoli, the President of the European Parliament, will speak at the summit in Brussels. He will not only talk about the rule of law, but above all put on the table the demand from parliament that the budget must be increased. According to the agreements, Chancellor Merkel will then answer, since Germany is currently president of the EU. The leaders are trying to postpone the hot potato a bit, to the next summit to prevent countries from really imposing their veto.
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