Speaking at Charles University, Nawrocki called for scrapping the position of European Council president and scaling back EU powers.
Deputy PM Sikorski criticises Poland’s president over EU-critical speech in Prague
Reacting on social media, Poland’s top diplomat stressed that the government had not authorised the president to put forward any ideas involving changes to EU treaties.
“I would like to clarify that the Council of Ministers did not authorise the President to propose changes to the European treaties,” Sikorski noted.
President’s proposals are personal, not official government policy, says FM Sikorski
Former Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło, now a Member of the European Parliament and supporter of the right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party, defended President Karol Nawrocki, insisting he had the right to express his views.
Minister Sikorski swiftly challenged her argument, stressing that Nawrocki cannot speak on behalf of the Polish state.
“The President said that ‘Poland’ is proposing changes to the treaties, but these are, for now, only his personal ideas,” Sikorski clarified on X.
In a similar vein to Sikorski, Poland’s Interior Minister Marcin Kierwiński said: “By putting forward controversial proposals for changes in the functioning of the European Union, the President cannot claim to be speaking on behalf of Poland. It is the government that conducts foreign policy and decides on our relations with the EU. It would be wise to stay grounded, even just a little.”
FM Sikorski: Only the government can propose EU treaty changes, not the president
In subsequent posts, Poland’s Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski clarified that, under Article 48 of the EU Treaty, only the government - not the president - can initiate changes to EU treaties.
He explained that proposals can come from a member state government, the European Parliament, or the European Commission, and must then be submitted to the European Council and notified to national parliaments.
If the European Council decides to consider the changes, a convention of national representatives, heads of state or government, the Parliament, and the Commission examines the proposals and issues recommendations.
Finally, a conference of member state representatives approves any amendments by consensus, and the changes take effect only after ratification by all EU countries.
Read more about this topic:
(mp)
Source: X/@sikorskiradek/@MKierwinski/@BeataSzydlo