Donald Tusk, the leader of Poland's Civic Coalition (KO), the country's largest liberal opposition grouping, is expected to travel to Brussels next week in an effort to unblock funds frozen due to rule-of-law concerns. Tusk, a potential candidate for prime minister, seeks to restore Poland's position in the international arena after pro-European Union (EU) opposition parties emerged victorious in the recent election, marking a significant shift away from years of feuding with Brussels.
The ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party, which has clashed with the EU over issues such as judicial independence and LGBT rights, is unlikely to find a coalition partner to form the government. With a pro-EU majority in parliament, Tusk's visit to Brussels aims to address the concerns that have hindered Poland's access to crucial EU cohesion funds and COVID-19 recovery funds, totaling billions of euros.
Borys Budka, a lawmaker from Tusk's party, announced the planned visit, stating that Tusk would meet with European leaders during his time in Brussels. The visit is expected to coincide with an EU summit scheduled for those days. Budka emphasized the importance of restoring Poland's rightful position in the international arena from the very beginning of their term.
The EU has expressed concerns over the changes implemented by the PiS party since 2015, which are believed to undermine the independence of the judiciary and run counter to democratic standards. These concerns have resulted in the freezing of funds intended to boost the standard of living in economically disadvantaged regions of the EU and support Poland's COVID-19 recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, Polish President Andrzej Duda is set to meet with parliamentary party leaders next week to determine who will be tasked with forming a new government. Despite the PiS party's victory in the election, the lack of a coalition ally makes a third term in government uncertain. The leaders of the opposition parties seeking to form a coalition have urged President Duda not to delay the decision-making process.
While there is no fixed timeline outlined in the constitution for forming a new government, President Duda's office has asserted that a government will be formed within the specified timeframe. As Poland, the largest country in the EU's eastern region, navigates these political developments, the process of forming a new government could potentially stretch over several weeks or even months.