– We have all the reasons to turn it into a powerful Europe again. Poland is ready for this task, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said during the official opening of the presidency of the Council of the European Union. He said that “Europe is lucky that at this very difficult moment in our history, Poland is performing the duties of the president.” – I have no doubt that the Polish presidency will once again prove that patriotism and European integration are connected, – said the head of the Council of Europe, Antonio Costa.
The gala was held in the Grand Theater – Warsaw National Opera. President Andrzej Duda did not participate, but was represented by one of his advisors.
The ceremony was attended by the Speaker of the Sejm, Simon Holovnia, the Speaker of the Senate, Malgorzata Kidava-Blonska, former President Bronisław Komorowski, former Speaker of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, Mayor of Warsaw, Rafalski, and numerous ministers of the Parliament.
At the same time, a farmers’ rally was held in the center of Warsaw, which started in the afternoon. The protesters demanded, among other things, that the Green Deal and the European Union’s trade agreement with Mercosur be terminated. Demonstrators finished it in front of the Big Theater building.
Opening ceremony of the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union PAP/Paweł Supernak
Tusk on “six very difficult months”
One of the first highlights of the ceremony was a speech by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who announced that he would appear before the European Parliament on January 21 to “talk about the ambitious intentions of the European Union, the whole of Europe and the Polish presidency for these six very difficult months.”
– This year marks exactly one thousand years since the historical moment when Poland became a kingdom, a kingdom of Europe, when the Polish ruler took the crown. When we talk about this history today, we can say with full confidence that this history has taught us a lot, and this perhaps not the most pleasant saying “the wise pole after the loss” today has an optimistic reason, said Tusk.
Tusk: Our history has taught us many things TVN24
As he noted, a thousand years from the day of the enthronement of Boleslav the Brave is “a thousand years of changing experiences”. – We know one thing for sure: when we understood our strength, we believed in our possibilities, we were united, when the external forces of the enemy of our kingdom were powerless in front of our unity, national unity. We knew that we are wise, despite the fact that our history has been damaged, said the prime minister.
– Europe has also experienced its disasters, the European nations during this thousand years and the European Union, which we will lead in the next six months, have enough negative experience to be wiser today after the damage – said Tusk.
Donald Tusk at the opening ceremony of the Polish Presidency in the Council of the European Union PAP/Leszek Szymanski
Tusk: We all know what we’ve done
– These days, I often hear these words full of hope, fear and panic – will we be able to do this? This evening is very beautiful, I will not mention everything that is outside our borders. What is connected with both threat and hope. All of us in Europe and all of us in this beautiful hall know what we have undertaken, said the prime minister.
– But I want to say that the presidency of Poland is to use our national wisdom, our national experience. And if we say today what we will talk about in these six months and what we will do, that security, competitiveness, innovation, imagination, courage, good leadership are very important for Europe and for my country, we are in this we are talking about. because we know that all this is the source of our strength, – continued the head of the Polish government.
– If Europe is powerless, it will not survive. If Europe finds its sources of strength again, it will be something that we have been proud of for centuries – most of the time – and in recent years, – he continued.
Donald Tusk at the opening ceremony of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union
Tusk: Europe is happy that Poland will fulfill the mission of the presidency
“Europe is happy,” Tusk said. – Yes, it is the luck of Europe that in this very difficult moment of our history, Poland is performing the role of president. Because we in Poland know very well that we need to find strength, hope and confidence in our own strength. And we should once again understand the meaning of freedom, the meaning of everything that is Europe, what peoples all over the world really dream of, he emphasized.
– Let’s do everything to strengthen Europe again. We have all the reasons to turn it into a powerful Europe again. And Poland is ready for this task, he assured.
Tusk: I would like to address a question to all of Europe
– I often hear this question in the capitals of Europe, from Lisbon to Warsaw, from Stockholm to Athens: can we live up to these great hopes? Yes, Europe has high expectations for the Polish presidency. However, today I would like to ask the following question from Warsaw to the whole of Europe, to all Europeans: are you all ready to re-enter the great path of Europe, power and sovereignty? Since Poland is ready, Tusk finished his speech at the end.
The entire speech of Donald Tusk at the swearing-in ceremony of the Polish presidency in the Council of the European UnionTVN24
Costa: Poland has become the cornerstone of Europe’s defense
After Tusk, the President of the European Council, Antonio Costa, spoke. He said that “Polish democracy and national sentiments strengthen the European Union.” He highly appreciated the fact that Poland is one of the advanced countries in terms of defense capabilities, which Europe should develop for its defense.
In Costa’s opinion, Poland is one of the biggest success stories in the enlargement of the European Union and “the best geostrategic investment that Europe has made to guarantee freedom and democracy after long periods of totalitarianism”.
Antonio Costa: our common vision of Europe is based on the same valuesTVN24
Kosta: Poland is taking over the power of the European Union at the best possible moment
As Costa emphasized, since joining the European Union 20 years ago, Poland, among other things, has become “the cornerstone of European defense” and “the main pillar of the European common market.”
– I have no doubt that the Polish presidency will once again prove that patriotism and European integration are connected, Costa noted. He also expressed his hope that Poland, by leading the work of the Council of the European Union, will show that the member states are the leading force of the European Union.
– Poland will take over the power of the European Union at the best possible moment, (…). Poland is a source of stability and strength at a time when authoritarianism and populism are a growing threat to our values. Poles encourage us to put an end to these phenomena at a time when foreign influence threatens the integrity of our democracy, he emphasized.
The President of the European Council also thanked Prime Minister Tusk for his participation in the preparation of the informal meeting of the leaders of the European Union in February, which should be devoted to defense. He added that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and, according to Tusk’s proposal, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will participate in it.
The entire speech of Antonio Costa at the opening ceremony of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European UnionTVN24
Chairman of the Council of the European Union Poland
Many diplomats were invited to Friday’s ceremony, but the Hungarian ambassador was not on the invite list. – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave a clear signal that the Hungarian ambassador will not be received in the theater today, – explained the Deputy Minister for European Affairs Magdalena Sobkoviak-Charnecka. This is related to the granting of asylum to MP Marsin Romanovsky.
Poland’s presidency in the Council of the European Union began on January 1 and will continue until the end of June. During this period, our country will be responsible, among other things, for setting the agenda of the meetings of its separate bodies and conducting negotiations between the member states.
The motto of the Polish presidency is: “Safety, Europe!” Poland wants to focus on its seven dimensions: external, internal, informational, economic, energy, food and health.
Main photo source: Prime Minister’s Office
