Polish premier stresses need for less EU centralization

By Jo Harper

WARSAW (AA) — The prime minister of Poland on Monday stressed the importance of European values and nation states in the face of Russia's war on Ukraine, criticizing Brussels in favor of individual member countries.

"We must all be aware that if Russia is not stopped, tomorrow it may be Lithuanian, Polish blood (that is spilled)," Mateusz Morawiecki said during a lecture at Heidelberg University in Germany.

Underlining that nation states could not be "replaced," Morawiecki said freedom, rights, liberties, and sovereignty could only be guaranteed by nation states.

"Europe is now at a historic turning point, even more serious than when communism was collapsing. At that time, the changes were peaceful, while today the whole world is threatened by Russian aggression," he said.

Pointing to "aspirations to create a European super-state," he said the free exchange of opinions was being replaced in the EU by decisions made by Brussels without consulting nation states.

"This is part of the aspirations to create a European super-state, ruled by narrow elites, with the transfer of power towards the strongest EU states. This will cause the resistance of very many nations ... There should be no place in Europe for censorship and ideological oppression," he said.

Warning of "massive conflicts," Morawiecki said: "Utopia usually turns into dictatorship, heartless bureaucracy is not the right answer to the challenges of modernity."

He also argued in favor of further enlargement of the EU to its full geographical borders, while dismissing calls for full unification transition to majority voting within the EU.

- World War II Reparations from Germany

Touching on the history of Poland-Germany relations, Morawiecki also repeated demands for Berlin to compensate Warsaw for World War II.

"I do not want to dwell on this point in my speech, but I cannot leave it out. Poland has never received reparations from Germany for crimes, destruction and theft committed during World War II," he said.

"Today, Poles and Germans cooperate closely in economic terms, which makes our countries dependent on each other. Poland is Germany's fifth-largest trade partner, and will soon be in fourth place. Russia, on the other hand, is only in 16th place," he pointed out.

However, Poland is still suffering from the effects of World War II, Morawiecki went on. "Poland lost decades because it went to the other side of the iron curtain."

"Compensation is needed to reconcile perpetrators and victims. At this crucial moment in the history of Europe, we need such a reconciliation, because we face huge common challenges."

On Sept. 1, 2022, the Polish government presented a report on the damage it suffered as a result of the actions of Germany during World War II. Poland wants Germany to pay it 6.2 trillion zlotys in reparations, which Berlin has rejected.