Sikorski, EU Defense Commissioner? Szejna: I hope the president will be wise
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, appeared in Katowice on May 7 to take part in the European Economic Congress. She spoke, among others: about the war in Ukraine and the security of Europe. She announced that if she becomes the president of the European Commission again, she will appoint a commissioner for defense. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Szejna commented on the matter on Wednesday.
“It will support a cutting-edge defense industry,” von der Leyen said. In addition, he assessed how much and how Europe should invest in defense.
In the context of the EU's position, the world of Polish politics immediately thought of Radosław Sikorski.
Szejna: If he wants it, all hands are on deck
The Minister of Foreign Affairs was asked about this matter by journalists of “Rzeczpospolita”. – I read these speculations, I listen to the voices of today's opposition and those coming from the Presidential Palace. I have the impression that some people in these environments measure others with their own standards. They cannot imagine that someone could consider the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs in a free Poland to be a higher honor than going to Brussels – he said, thus suggesting that he is not interested in the position of commissioner at the moment.
On May 8, Andrzej Szejna – Secretary of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – who was a “Guest of Radio ZET”, also spoke about von der Leyen's visit to Poland. Beata Lubecka asked the deputy minister who would become the commissioner, mentioning Sikorski. – I hope it will be a commissioner from Poland. (…) If (Sikorski – ed.) decides to do so, all hands are on deck. (…) I hope that Mr. President will be wise and will give this consent, and if not, in my opinion as a lawyer, not as the head of Polish diplomacy, it is not needed – he emphasized.
Duda may not agree to the government candidate becoming commissioner
Lubecka then pointed to the Competence Act, which was considered unconstitutional by the government. – Fortunately, whether the candidacy of anyone, especially such an eminent diplomat and politician as Sikorski, will be accepted by other member states, submitted by the Polish government – will be decided by these member states, and not by the Constitutional Tribunal of the now-defunct president Julia Przyłębska – he said. It is worth recalling that, according to the above-mentioned act, Andrzej Duda may refuse to appoint a politician nominated by the government as EU commissioner.
