Poland Assumes Rotating EU Presidency

Polish Presidency in Warsaw

Poland is to take over the presidency of the European Union from Hungary on July 1 for the first time since the country became a member in 2004.

The Hungarian presidency was somehow marked by the actions of the government led by Viktor Orban, and by his controversial Constitution, though Hungary laid down some priorities at the beginning of the year, which were carried out.

Polish Flag

Poland stressed out its own priorities for the six months to go, and at the top of them are building relations with the eastern and southern neighbors of the European Union, and encouraging economic growth in an era when difficulties affect most of the member countries, from Greece, which is on the brink of incapacity to pay debts, to United Kingdom, where the public service workers protest against being forced to work more before they can retire and enjoy pension.

Polish PM Donald Tusk has also a political agenda, hoping that at the end of the term the performance of his government will strengthen the position of his Civic Platform party, and will help him win the next national elections.

Poland is expected to use this opportunity to portray itself as a regional political power, with ideas worth taking into consideration, one of which will probably be the focus on the eastern bloc.

To that effect, a “Eastern Partnership” summit is expected in September with EU leaders and leaders of six ex-Communist countries, and a free trade agreement is expected to be concluded by the end of the year with Ukraine.

Poland will also attempt to solve the problems the Western member states of EU are facing now, even though it is expected that negotiation won’t be smooth when it comes to voting the next budget, given that Poland argues for a bigger budget, which would boost growth, whereas states that are in economic difficulties argue in favor of a tighter one.

Polish Museum of Culture in Warsaw

Poland has not adopted euro as currency but has strong economic ties with the euro-zone.

Since the expansion of the EU in 2004, Poland is the largest country to have become member, and the fourth ex-Communist one to have held the presidency of EU, after Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Hungary.

With a population of 38 million, 80% of which are favorable to EU, with an economy that has not gone through the difficulties of economic crisis, due to wise policies, with an excellent absorption of European funds, Poland is by far the success story among the ex-Communist countries who have fought their way out of the totalitarian darkness toward freedom and civilization.