Page 31 - bne IntelliNews magazine February 2025

bne February 2025 Central Europe I 31
Europe is “fortunate” that Poland will hold the EU presidency in the first half of 2025, Tusk said at a Warsaw gala celebrating the takeover of the role from Hungary.
Defence and external security will be top priorities, with Poland advocating for increased EU military spending and
Poland also aims to advance EU enlargement, following the December 2023 decision to begin membership talks with Ukraine and Moldova.
Food and energy security round out the agenda, with Poland pushing for policies that support farmers, reduce reliance on Russian resources, and
ambassador from attending the inauguration of the presidency.
The diplomatic rift complicates Poland’s efforts to counter Hungarian vetoes
on Ukraine-related EU initiatives,
with Warsaw pledging to bypass Budapest’s obstruction while holding
it accountable for its actions.
Step into the vacuum
Poland’s presidency comes at a time when Europe’s traditional powerhouses, France and Germany, are struggling to lead. Both are facing internal political turmoil, creating a leadership vacuum in which Poland might step in – provided that Tusk wants to, say critics of the Polish leader, whose proneness to complacency is almost legendary.
For now, Tusk has positioned Poland
as a critical player in shaping Europe’s future, asserting that the country’s history of resilience – cue the Solidarity movement against communism referenced by Tusk in his gala speech
– equips it to guide the EU through its current challenges.
However, Poland cannot lead alone. Its ability to forge alliances will be crucial, especially as the EU confronts external pressures, from Trump’s unpredictable policies to the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Since returning to power in 2023, Tusk’s government has repaired strained EU ties, unblocked most – but not all – vital recovery funds, and has strived to resolve rule-of-law disputes with Brussels. These achievements have set the stage for Poland to take on a prominent role during its presidency. Still, the road ahead is fraught with obstacles, from managing domestic political strife to countering Hungary’s obstructionism.
Poland’s presidency offers an opportunity to reinforce its status as a major European power while advocating for a stronger and more united EU.
As Tusk seeks to translate Poland’s ambitions into tangible results, his leadership will be tested by the delicate balance of pursuing national interests and advancing the broader European agenda.
“Tusk outlined an ambitious presidency agenda under the motto “Security, Europe!” by which Poland means security considerations related to defence, energy, economy, food, health, and information. ”
the development of Europe’s defence industry. Proposals include co-financing projects such as the East Shield initiative to strengthen Poland’s borders with Russia and Belarus, and issuing Eurobonds for defence investments.
External security also includes tackling the “hybrid war” waged on Poland by Belarus via orchestrating migration pressure, which Tusk wants to tackle by revising asylum rules – something that he had convinced other EU leaders to support despite the outcry of human rights organisations in Poland and abroad.
Poland will also continue to advocate for continued support for Ukraine fighting Russian aggression, a policy that is expected to come under duress in the early months of Trump, whose stance on the Russia-Ukraine war remains unclear.
"We have every reason to become a strong Europe once again and Poland
is prepared for this task. If Europe rediscovers the sources of its strength, it will once more become what we have often been proud of throughout history, including in recent years," Tusk said.
Economic resilience is another key focus, as Europe braces for potential US tariffs under Trump and seeks to reduce its dependence on Chinese imports.
lower costs for citizens while promoting greener, more flexible energy solutions. That said, Tusk is expected to try to blunt the EU’s climate drive somewhat, arguing it is too costly amidst spending required to ensure the bloc’s security against Russia.
It’s all for Rafal
Poland’s presidency faces distractions at home and abroad. The country’s presidential election, scheduled for May 2025, pits Tusk’s centre-right coalition against the hard-right PiS. President Andrzej Duda, PiS’s last stronghold,
has remained at odds with Tusk – to the point of declining to attend the presidency’s inauguration gala.
According to some observers, however, Tusk might just make the presidency and the election – for which he fielded a longtime associate, Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski – come together. By fostering the presidency’s ambitions agenda, Tusk may think it will work
in Trzaskowski’s favour in the clash against Eurosceptic PiS’s frontrunner Karol Nawrocki.
Adding to tensions, relations with Hungary have soured following Budapest’s decision to grant asylum
to Marcin Romanowski, a fugitive former Polish deputy justice minister. In retaliation, Poland barred Hungary’s
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