Poland at the heart of Europe, says PM
Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, has said that since Poland joined the EU 20 years ago it has become the “heart of Europe” and a vital part of the Western world.
Tusk was speaking ahead of the 20th anniversary of the country’s accession to the EU on May 1.
He said that over the years, Poles have been building a country that has now become a crucial part of Western civilisation.
"We have become Europe in every sense of the word," he said. "I am not talking about geography, but about security, about the fact that the quality of life of Polish men and women is increasing every day, regardless of various turns on the road.
"I am talking about basic values," he added, "about freedom, dignity, the rule of law. This is Europe. Poland has become the heart of Europe."
Tusk went on to say that each Pole is familiar with the notion of the East, of which we have always wanted to free ourselves, and the West, towards which we strived.
"Today," he argued, "we mustn't strive to reach anything, for the West is right here." (PAP)
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