Brussels, March 6 (CTK correspondent) – Central Europe might lose its representative at the head of the European Council if incumbent President Donald Tusk’s native Poland marred his re-election for another 2.5-year term, Czech Foreign Minister Lubomir Zaoralek told journalists yesterday.
He said the Czech Republic supports the re-election of Tusk, former Polish prime minister, because he understands the problems and interests of Central and East Europe.
A decision on Tusk’s future in the EU is to be made at the EU summit on Thursday. Since the summits make decisions by a qualified majority, Tusk is likely to remain at the head of the EC.
However, he may not be confirmed unanimously like at the end of 2014, when he was elected for the first time.
The reason is that Poland, which is now ruled by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, has proposed MEP Jacek Saryusz-Wolski for the EC president.
Jacek Saryusz-Wolski immediately criticised Tusk’s alleged low loyalty to his own country.
PiS chairman Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who personally rejects Tusk, said he is a “German candidate.”
Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said yesterday the diplomacy heads of the Visegrad Four, which is comprised of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, met their counterparts from Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands on Sunday evening.
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski informed his colleagues about his country’s plan, Lajcak said.
“We did not discuss it in detail. The Polish minister told us Poland has a new candidate for the post,” Lajcak said.
Zaoralek said Waszczykowski did not want to persuade his colleagues into accepting the Polish view.
“Our Polish friends know our stance, it is no surprise for them,” Zaoralek said.
