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Polish gov’t spokesman says MEPs seek to abolish nation states

25.10.2023 10:00
The Polish government spokesman has said that changes to European Union treaties proposed by the European Parliament would lead to the abolition of nation states and the establishment of an "EU superstate."
Polish government spokesman Piotr Mller.
Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller.PAP/Leszek Szymański

Piotr Müller made the remark in a media interview on Tuesday night, Polish state news agency PAP reported.

The government spokesman told state broadcaster TVP Info: “The changes to EU treaties that are currently being proposed in fact mean the abolition of nation states. It would mean the creation of an EU superstate.”

His comments came as the EU legislature’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) was set to discuss “Proposals of the European Parliament for the amendment of the Treaties” on Wednesday, according to officials.

The 120-page document outlines 267 proposed changes to EU treaties, agreed by five European Parliament groupings: the centre-right European People’s Party (EPP), the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D), the liberal Renew group, the Greens, and the communist Left, the PAP news agency reported. 

The key proposals include the abolition of the principle of unanimity, or veto rights, in European Council voting in 65 policy areas; and the transfer of powers from member states to the EU in policy areas such as foreign and security policy, manufacturing and education, according to news outlets.

The parliament’s European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, which includes Poland’s ruling conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, refused to endorse the proposals, arguing they paved the way for “turning the EU into a centralised European superstate,” the PAP news agency reported.

The Polish government spokesman said on Tuesday that under the plan by MEPs, the sovereignty of member states, including in tax policy, would be undermined "as such issues would be decided in Brussels.”

Müller further argued that scrapping the veto principle would mean that “many EU countries could be outvoted on fundamental issues,” benefiting “Germany and other EU heavyweights.”

The Polish government spokesman told TVP Info that such a reform would have to be supported by a qualified majority in the Polish parliament, adding that “Law and Justice will ensure it doesn’t happen,” the PAP news agency reported.  

(pm/gs)

Source: PAP, European Parliament