Trzaskowski, the candidate of the ruling Civic Coalition (KO), rejected signing the eight-point pledge proposed by Mentzen, the far-right Confederation candidate who finished third in the first round of Poland’s presidential election.
Although the two agreed on half the points, during a joint appearance on YouTube on Saturday, Trzaskowski said he would not formally endorse the document.
“I’m not going to sign anything — I’m not Karol Nawrocki,” he said, referring to his conservative runoff rival immediately agreeing to sign the same declaration.
Trzaskowski and Mentzen found common ground on four key issues: opposing any tax increases, rejecting the deployment of Polish soldiers to Ukraine, maintaining access to cash for payments, and preserving existing firearms laws, state news agency PAP reported.
However, they diverged on several fundamental matters, including hate speech, European Union treaties, and NATO expansion.
In appealing to Mentzen’s voters, Trzaskowski said: “I will always look for common ground, but I will be principled on the issues that matter most.”
He urged voters to choose between a candidate with a transparent record and one who continues to raise questions.
"The real question is whether we focus on the future — or keep looking backward," he said.
Trzaskowski firmly opposed Mentzen’s position on Ukraine’s NATO membership.
“I’d rather Putin break his teeth in Ukraine than in Poland,” he said, adding that Ukraine must be part of Europe, not under Putin’s control.
He argued that only strong security guarantees, especially from the United States, would prevent further Russian aggression.
“Putin understands only the language of force,” he said, voicing strong support for strengthening NATO and European defense capabilities.
On the topic of European integration, Trzaskowski insisted that EU decision-making must remain based on unanimity and expressed caution about treaty reforms that might reduce Poland’s influence.
He said mechanisms such as constructive abstention and enhanced cooperation already allow for flexible alliances without weakening national sovereignty.
Trzaskowski also took a firm stance against hate speech, which Mentzen opposes restricting.
“There is no tolerance for incitement to hatred,” said Trzaskowski. “Freedom of expression is fundamental, but calling for harm to others crosses a line.”
He said he would support tightening existing laws to better combat hate speech, emphasizing that courts must determine what qualifies as unlawful expression.
Responding to questions about economic regulation, Trzaskowski said he supports reducing reporting obligations for small and medium-sized businesses but argued that large corporations should continue to report on their social and environmental impact.
“If we want to fight climate change and save energy, these kinds of disclosures make sense,” he said.
On the EU's Green Deal, Trzaskowski said that it had already changed significantly in response to farmers’ concerns.
He highlighted adjustments to rules on fallowing, pesticide use and reporting obligations.
He also pointed to EU-wide limits on Ukrainian imports set for June 6 as a success in stabilizing agricultural markets.
Asked whether he supported deregulation, Trzaskowski replied that he would like the work of a deregulation task force, established by the government and led by entrepreneur Rafał Brzoska, to accelerate.
On marijuana, he said he does not favor full decriminalization but opposes punishing young people for possessing small amounts.
After the discussion, footage shared by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski on X showed Trzaskowski, Mentzen and campaign staff from both sides gathered informally at Mentzen's pub in the north-central city of Toruń and having a conversation over beers.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP