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world news Diamars 15 December 2020

Polish leader hails summit deal on use of EU sanctions

(AP) — Poland’s conser- PAP, in an interview with the
vative ruling party lead- Gazeta Polska Codziennie
er says the compromise conservative daily.
struck at last week’s Euro-
pean Union summit that Poland, which is at logger-
limits the use of finan- heads with Brussels over its
cial sanctions is a “saber” record on the rule of law, had
protecting the country together with Hungary pro-
against any potential “at- tested the sanctioning mech-
tack” on the EU’s part. anism fearing they could be
its target.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski said in
comments published Mon- The compromise Thursday
day that the compromise averted a veto that Poland
struck as part of the 1.82 and Hungary had threatened
trillion-euro ($2.21 trillion) against the package, but crit-
budget for 2021-2027 and re- ics said it also let the two
covery package protects Po- countries off the hook.
land's national interests and Kaczynski, the main architect with extraordinary mea- ski’s right-wing Law and the power struggle inside the
secures the country’s share in of Poland's politics, argued sures," he said. Justice party took power in coalition, as he tries to keep
EU funds that it badly needs the compromise secured Po- 2015, with two small coali- control of the radicals and the
for a rebound from the pan- land's sovereignty and posi- The deal ensures that the EU tion partners , the govern- far-right wing and its voters.
demic crisis. tion in the bloc and strength- executive body, the European ment has been in conflict
Under the deal, the EU is ened its budget. Commission, will “stick to with EU ruling bodies over The government is currently
to draw up precise guide- Poland is to receive some 770 the set rules” and the suspen- its gradual taking of control facing a wave of massive na-
lines for when a new finan- billion zlotys (173 billion eu- sion of funds mechanism will over Poland’s justice system tionwide protests that was
cial mechanism can be used ros.) not be used on allegations of and media. Warsaw has ar- triggered by Oct. 22 court
to cut funds to a member any breaches, but “only and gued the criticism missed ruling to further tighten Po-
that violates democratic stan- Minister for European Af- solely in the case of justified, the point and the sanctioning land's strict anti-abortion law
dards, and what might trigger fairs Konrad Szymanski told proven, actual damages to the measures taken were unfair. but is now also condemning
it. Moreover, Europe’s top the Rzeczpospolita daily the EU budget," Szymanski said other decisions by the rul-
court would need to weigh in deal would prevent “arbi- on Onlet.pl. Commentators, like Michal ing team, including the con-
on the guidelines’ validity. trary, political” use of the Matlak in Kultural Liberalna, flict with the EU. A nation
withdrawal of financing as a He said Poland “had no other were saying that this latest of around 38 million, Poland
The “deal is like a saber that means of putting pressure on way but to enter that conflict” showdown with EU gov- has among Europe's highest
we will be able to use in case a member state. over the financial mechanism erning bodies and the threat level of popular support for
of an attack against us,” Kac- and obtain the clear-cut deal. to veto the financial plan, EU membership, currently
zynski was quoted as saying “This is an extraordinary sit- was another case of Kaczyn- at over 80%.
by Polish state news agency uation that has been solved Almost from when Kaczyn- ski using the EU as a tool in

1 dead, dozens wounded in tribal clashes in southern Tunisia

(AP) — Tunisian authori- The inhabitants were fight- Tunisian state, without pro-
ties ordered a curfew in According to the official TAP ing over the ownership of According to the official TAP viding details.
regions in southern Tu- news agency, the curfew an area called Aïn Sekhouna, news agency, security forces
nisia after at least a man from 4 p.m. to 5 a. m., start- which is located between the backed by military units used Meanwhile, Mechichi, on a
was killed and dozens of ing on Monday, was decided two and boasts a hot spring in tear gas to disperse those in- visit to France on Monday,
people wounded, two seri- by governors of Medenine the middle of the desert. The volved, many of whom were said he agreed with French
ously, in tribal clashes that and Kebili to prevent further governorates of Medenine armed with sticks and shot- Prime Minister Jean Castex
broke out over a land dis- violence. and Kebili are close to the guns. on the need for a greater co-
pute. Libyan and Algerian borders. operation between the two
The security forces union countries on migrant issues,
reported 83 wounded who especially through develop-
were transferred to nearby ment and investment policies
hospitals using ambulances in Tunisian regions where
from surrounding areas. TAP people entering illegally into
reported that four security Europe come from, accord-
officers were injured in the ing to TAP.
clashes and a security vehicle
ransacked. France said the visit comes
out of solidarity between
Prime Minister Hichem the two countries following
Mechichi gave instructions an Oct. 29 Islamic extremist
to the ministers of the inte- knife attack that killed three
rior and of defense to hold a people in a Nice church. The
crisis meeting in the hope of chief suspect is a Tunisian
finding a solution to the dis- man who illegally entered
pute “by legal means.” into Italy and then traveled to
France.
Tunisian President Kais Saied
traveled by helicopter to the Mechichi, who is on his first
disputed area. He urged resi- trip abroad since he took of-
dents to make reason prevail fice on Sept. 2, is scheduled
over violence and warned to visit Italy on Tuesday.
against internal threats to the