FM Szijjártó: Hungarian-Polish brotherhood key element of foreign policy
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Maintaining “Hungarian-Polish brotherhood” is a central element of Hungary’s foreign policy strategy, even if the two countries may disagree on certain issues, Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said on Monday.
Hungary does not view its cooperation with Poland from a tactical perspective, Szijjártó said after meeting Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek, his Polish counterpart, according to a ministry statement.
“We see Hungarian-Polish relations as more than friendship and more than an alliance,” Szijjártó said, adding that Hungary considered its ties with Poland a “brotherhood”. “And even if we have disagreements, different points of emphasis or different approaches to certain issues, brotherhood is still brotherhood.”
Szijjártó said Hungary respected the Polish nation and its decisions, and strove for good cooperation with Poland’s elected government.
Maintaining “Hungarian-Polish brotherhood”, he said, would remain one of the key components of Hungary’s foreign policy strategy in the future, too.
Concerning his talks with Szynkowski vel Sek, Szijjártó said they had talked at length about the future of the European Union and specifically what he called renewed intentions to amend the founding treaties with a view to strengthening Brussels’s powers.
“We were in agreement that the interests of a strong Poland and strong Hungary lie in a strong European Union, but we also concurred that it is not member states that are looked down on, weakened or blackmailed that make the EU strong,” Szijjártó said. “The European Union will be strong if the member states themselves are strong, if they can represent their interests and if they stand by and adhere to their historical and religious heritage and traditions.”
In case Mr. Szijjártó missed it, speaking on behalf of the Poles … Poland had elections on October 15, boasting a turnout of 74 percent, the highest in a Polish parliamentary election since the fall of communist rule. Mr. Szynkowski vel Sęk`s Law and Justice (PiS) party only won 194 seats – 37 seats short of a majority (= the minority).
The center-left coalition, led by Mr Tusk (former Prime Minister and European Council president from 2014 to 2019), won 248 seats (= the majority).
The far-right Confederation party, which won 18 seats, has stated it will not support Law and Justice. And even if it did … Still end up being the minority.
It obviously did not stop PiS to declare that it won the election (reminiscent of … ??? Aside: it will be interesting, when our Politicians are voted out), stating the party won the largest number of seats of any party (still the minority – but there you go).
Regardless, after the election, Mr. Duda, the PiS affiliated Polish President, quickly swore in Mr. Morawiecki as prime minister, along with members of his new Law and Justice cabinet. A confidence vote on Mr. Morawiecki’s premiership will be held on 11 December – I think we all know how that will go!
In the meantime, it appears Mr. Szijjártó and our Politicians really enjoyed their last time in the nationalist-populist echo chamber.
So … As expected, Mr. Morawiecki lost the vote of confidence on Monday, paving the way for Mr. Tusk to return to power.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67681940
On the downside: “Mr. Duda’s decision to nominate Mr. Morawiecki to form a government without any hope of winning a vote of confidence indicates that the president, who will be in office until 2025, intends to stymie Mr. Tusk’s plans.”