'The Polish Presidency: 6 months on'

Poland leading the way

Amongst the speakers, there was a consensus that Poland had used the opportunity, associated with the EU Presidency, to pursue a number of exciting agendas. Syed Kamall MEP paid reference to the new EU-Ukrainian partnerships that have been struck, as well as the progress made to integrate the countries of the West Balkans into the European Union. Syed also attributed positive political developments in Minsk as being connected with Poland’s work through the EU presidency. All the speakers commented upon Poland’s bridge like status between East and West, as being a key component of its usefulness to the European project.
The narrative concerning Poland’s decisive and forward thinking leadership was extended upon by Charles Crawford CMG, who paid attention to the work of Polish Foreign Minister, Radek Sikorski in providing the new Transitional Council in Libya with a reservoir of knowledge regarding what is needed to evolve away from an authoritarian past towards a brighter future, a democratic future. All of these examples demonstrate how Poland, due to the many of the experiences that have shaped it as a nation, plays an invaluable role within the European project.

Poland moving closer to “Western civilization”

Syed Kamall MEP and Charles Crawford CMG painted an optimistic picture of Poland moving decisively, with little apprehension or regret, towards closer relations with its West European partners. Charles Crawford CMG paid reference to meetings he had had with the Kaczynski twins who construed their period behind the Iron curtain as blocking, what would have been their inevitable post-war integration with the West, and the resulting anger that many Poles feel towards the West as a result of Yalta. Both speakers suggested that there was a sense of optimism and determination in Poland to get on with it, and embrace the West, and more specifically the European project.

Syed Kamall MEP argued that liberalism was crucial for Poland’s development, and that it was composed of two phases, economic, and social. Though he felt that Poland has been successful in adopting economic liberalism, there remained work to do with regards to social liberalism. However, he pointed out that it takes time, and that twenty, thirty years ago; Britain was far less socially liberal than it is now.

A note of caution

In contrast to Syed Kamall MEP and Charles Crawford CMG, Professor Anita Prazmowska provided from a historical perspective, a far more cautious take on Poland’s relationship with the EU.  Professor Prazmowska argued that there was a certain degree of cautiousness within Poland in regards to her country’s relationship with the EU, with the question, “Are we about to lose something we have just gained”, on many people’s minds. Professor Prazmowska expanded on this by alerting the audience to a determination within Poland not to lose its Catholic ethos, and the resulting values that have for centuries underpinned it as a Nation.

Professor Prazmowska went on defend the actions of the allied powers at Yalta, arguing that there was little else they could have done. Before providing detailed analysis on Poland being a complex concoction of East and West, and that it shouldn’t downplay, or seek to hastily free itself from its Eastern influences, for these influences are a key part of what makes Poles who they are.

Professor Prazmowska suggested that the history of Poland, and the dynamics of Polish society, made the two-stage liberalization process outlined by Syed Kamall MEP extremely hard to achieve. She commented, “Whereas in the UK, it’s your business what your sexuality is, in Poland, it’s everyone’s business”.

CONCLUSION

It’s particularly interesting how in Britain today, much of the conversation emanating from the British Conservative Party seems to be concerned with how we, as a society, can ascertain, more shared, common values with one another, and how the strengthening of local neighbourhoods is seen as critical for “Civic resilience”, whilst in Poland, many seem to be driven by a desire to move away from what we’re striving towards. I think in many senses, there is an awful lot both countries can learn from one another in their attempt to strike the right balance between a socially liberal society, which at its best represents freedom, diversity and tolerance, and a more socially conservative society, which at its best provides a firm grounding of shared values and societal cohesiveness.

by Cllr Tom Hunt