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Polexit an ‘absurd’ idea: Polish foreign minister

24.11.2020 14:00
The prospect of Poland leaving the EU is “completely absurd”, Poland’s Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau has said.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.
Polish Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau.Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

In an interview with public broadcaster Polish Radio on Tuesday, Rau said that the possibility of the Polish government vetoing the EU budget sparked a “hysterical” reaction by the country’s opposition.

Some opposition members have suggested that Poland might be heading towards leaving the bloc.

According to Rau, a Polexit is “absolutely absurd. Never has any significant political group in Poland formulated such a postulate, and the United Right [Poland’s ruling conservative alliance] would be the last one to try to think or conduct a discourse in these terms,” he said.

Last week, Poland’s prime minister warned that his country could veto the European Union's 2021-2027 budget over plans to tie access to funds from Brussels with respect for the rule of law.

At a meeting in Brussels last Monday, ambassadors from EU governments by a majority of votes approved a mechanism to make the pay-out of the bloc’s funds conditional on member states’ adherence to the rule of law, a move that has irritated Warsaw.

Poland and Hungary have denied EU accusations of violating democratic principles and undermining the independence of their courts.

(jh/pk)

Source: PAP