Polish Left proposes “Europe Day” vacation and leasing German nuclear crops

Poland’s left-wing opposition has unveiled a brand new set of insurance policies centered on strengthening safety, supporting Ukraine, and “de-Putinising Europe”, specifically by way of elevated cooperation throughout the European Union on vitality, defence, intelligence and housing.

At a conference on Saturday titled “A Protected Poland in a United Europe”, The Left (Lewica), an alliance that’s the third largest group in parliament, introduced 12 coverage proposals.

The primary is to assist Ukraine’s path to EU membership, a aim additionally shared by Poland’s ruling national-conservative Regulation and Justice (PiS) celebration. One other is to declare 2 Might a nationwide public vacation to mark “Europe Day”.

“On 2 Might, we wakened within the European Union”, mentioned Robert Biedroń, one of many leaders of The Left, referring to Poland’s entry to the EU on 1 Might 2004 (which is already a nationwide vacation, Labour Day, in Poland). “We must always have fun today.”

An additional proposal is to finish the flexibility of single member states to dam sure EU insurance policies. The Left referred to this because the “liberum veto”, the identify of an identical parliamentary machine within the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the seventeenth and 18th centuries that’s seen by many to have been a part of its downfall.

Biedroń mentioned that the veto energy permits single EU member states to dam insurance policies that will profit the whole group. For example, he pointed to the Polish authorities blocking a local weather package deal.

The Left’s different proposals centered on creating or strengthening different types of cooperation throughout the EU, together with a typical vitality coverage, European armed forces, a European anti-missile protect, a joint counterintelligence service, and a European housing fund.

In addition they referred to as for a typical European minimal wage, with Włodzimierz Czarzasty, one other of The Left’s leaders, proposing that it could possibly be set at two thirds of the typical wage in every member state.

Adrian Zandberg, the final of the alliance’s three figureheads, referred to as for Europe to “transfer away from fossil fuels completely” as this was the one technique to “completely regain safety”. There must be a joint EU entity “managing funds for clear vitality sources all through Europe”, he mentioned.

Zandberg additionally urged that Poland – whose authorities is trying to construct the nation’s first nuclear energy stations – may lease nuclear energy crops from Germany, which has been closing them in recent times. Nonetheless, Germany’s setting minister not too long ago expressed scepticism in the direction of Poland’s nuclear plans.

The Left additionally referred to as on the EU to arrange a “Serving to Hand Fund” that will assist nations which have taken in refugees from Ukraine. They might obtain €500 per 30 days for every refugee.

Poland has been the primary vacation spot for these fleeing Ukraine, with nearly three million folks crossing its border since Russia’s invasion. It’s estimated that half or extra stay in Poland, which, below The Left’s proposal, would imply the EU paying the nation at the very least €750 million per 30 days.

The Polish authorities has additionally repeatedly referred to as for the EU to create new funds to assist nations internet hosting the refugees. In a joint proposal with Germany final month, it urged member states be granted €1,000 per refugee.

Principal picture credit score: Slawomir Kaminski / Agencja Wyborcza.pl