Merkel stressed the importance of pluralistic societies and an independent judiciary and media. Poland’s government is accused of undermining the judiciary and is being investigated by the Commission and by the Venice Commission, a body of the Council of Europe. “I was pleased to hear that Poland will answer the European Commission and Venice Commission’s questions,” she said.
Before continuing talks with Szydło over dinner, Merkel met with Kaczyński at the elegant Hotel Bristol near Warsaw’s Old Town, rather than PiS’s dowdier headquarters. [...]
At an EU summit in Malta last week, the German chancellor spoke of a “Europe with different speeds.” Such words have traditionally sounded alarm bells in Poland, which is not a member of the eurozone. The day after the Brexit referendum, Kaczyński warned of a “Carolingian” EU centered around the founding member countries that would leave Poland marginalized. [...]
“She wanted to make sure that Kaczyński’s controversial statements about the need for a deep EU treaty reform, re-nationalization of EU powers and a counterweight to Germany would not lead to an obstructionist policy against her primary goal of preserving the EU in the context of Brexit and Donald Trump’s presidency,” he said.
That may be an uphill task – but Kaczyński has acknowledged that Merkel is Poland’s best bet in Berlin. In an interview with Bild last summer he endorsed her for a fourth term as chancellor.
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