Letter from senators to prime minister Szydło
Opublikowano: 1 marca 2016

Three American senators, uneasy with the situation in Poland, sent a letter to prime minister Beata Szydło, where they “Implore the government to confirm their faithfulness to the basic rules of OSCE and the EU,  including respect for democracy, human rights and rule of law.”

The letter was met with a swift response from the prime minister and was came with a comment from the Polish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Witold  Waszczykowski Senators Benjamin L. Cardin, Richard J. Durbin and John McCain wrote: “We represent a cross-party group of senators who are friends to Poland and who have a close
relationship with the Polish minority in the US. We are writing to you to express our concerns with the recent actions taken by the Polish government, which threatens the freedom of the public media and the Constitutional Tribunal. They also undermine Poland’s role as a template for democracy for other countries in the region who are still undergoing a difficult transformation. We call your government to adhere to the basic rules of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe and the European Union, including a respect for  democracy, human rights and the rule of law that have made Poland a strong member of a democratic community and a strong ally for the US in the very heart of Central Europe.”

Prime minister Beat Szydło responded with this, among other things: „Dear Friends of Poland. Your concern for Polish interests is very important to us. However, the concern and good will of American politicians should not turn into berating and enforcing actions regarding internal business of my Motherland.”

Regarding the Constitutional Tribunal, the prime minister expressed surprise with these words:

“It is hard for me to imagine that politicians from another country would try to intervene in this matter. A situation where outside politicians would try to berate Americans regarding their Constitutions or impose their vision of handling internal business, an American political dispute, would be something incomprehensible and improper in my eyes.”

The prime minister also added that she is the head of a government that is incorporating changes that millions of Poles are waiting for and that they have decided on who they want to run the country. Szydło also denied that the actions of her government are a threat to Poland’s democracy and stated that they are meant to fix the situation that has arose from the actions of the previous government.

The head of Polish diplomacy considers the letter an effect of ignorance. He added that it was written by “people who wish to harm Poland.” Commenting on the whole situation, the minister announced that, should he have the option of meeting the members of Congress during his upcoming visit in Washington, he would explain Poland’s stance on the matter.

Tagi: Beata Szydlo, Benjamin Cardin, democracy, EU, John McCain, letter, OSCE, Prime minister, Richard Durbin, tribunal, US senators, Witold Waszczykowski