Less than a week after start of her fourth term, Chancellor Angela Merkel travelled to Warsaw for her official inaugural visit. In evening she met Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, and later she will meet with President Andrzej Duda. Government spokesman Steffen Sally said that chancellor would like to express with her journey "How high importance of German-Polish relationship" is.
In fact, relations have been tense since nationally conservative PiS ruled in Poland. Both countries have different views, not only in refugee policy. Toger with Hungary and Czech Republic, country rejects admission of refugees to relief of or EU countries. The EU has sued three countries for this reason. Poland's judicial reform is also critically seen by federal government. While PiS government must explain to EU, Merkel government is setting up a dialogue. The Chancellor said that in her next term she wanted to use all his strength for a strong and some of Europe. For this, Europe must put its concerns toger worldwide. This requires a certain sensitivity and a willingness to seek compromises. It will do its utmost to "have a common agenda in Europe". We need to get better in some places.
Meanwhile, Morawiecki defended his country's judicial reform: "We are convinced that reforms are necessary and contribute to independence and objectivity of judiciary," he said when he met Merkel. However, he was optimistic that dispute with EU Commission could soon be resolved. Poland wants to explain all concerns to EU Commission.
The EU Commission is threatening independence of judiciary and has refore launched a sanction procedure in December for first time in EU history, by which Poland could even lose its voting rights in EU.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Heiko Maas had travelled to Warsaw to visit him. He also spoke of "different perspectives", but avoided even more pronounced criticism. Instead, he said: "We are in close partnership with Poland" and suggested reviving so-called Weimar Triangle from Poland, Germany and France.
In 1991, Weimar Triangle was created by foreign ministers of three countries as a loose advisory forum. There followed several meetings at ministerial level. However, since beginning of right-wing Conservative government in Warsaw in 2015, re has been no such meeting.
Date Of Update: 20 March 2018, 12:02
