Poland's ambassadors to NATO, Italy, Latvia, Peru end missions
The Polish ambassadors to NATO, Italy, Latvia and Peru ended their missions on May 31, the foreign ministry spokesperson has told PAP.
In March, the foreign minister, Radoslaw Sikorski, decided to end the missions of over 50 Polish ambassadors after the new coalition government took over power from the former ruling party Law and Justice (PiS) in December last year.
"Ambassador (Anna Maria - PAP) Anders ended her mission on May 31 and is coming back to the country; this group also includes the representative to NATO (Tomasz Szatkowski - PAP) as well as the ambassadors to Peru (Antonina Magdalena Sniadecka-Kotarska - PAP) and Latvia (Monika Michaliszyn - PAP)," Pawel Wronski, the foreign ministry spokesperson, told PAP on Sunday.
But the recalling of ambassadors has been facing opposition from President Andrzej Duda, whose influence on Poland's foreign policy was increased by PiS before the 2023 parliamentary elections in which the party ultimately lost power.
The most recent bone of contention between the government and the president is the replacement of Poland's representative to NATO. Duda has been defending Szatkowski, a PiS loyalist, arguing that the change would cause turbulence in the defence, an area crucial for Poland, just weeks before the forthcoming NATO summit.
The ruling coalition argues that in line with Poland's constitution, it is the foreign ministry that shapes the country's foreign policy.
One of the reasons behind recalling Szatkowski is that one of Poland's security services has prepared a report that disqualifies him for the role of Poland's ambassador to NATO, according to Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak. Siemoniak said he was surprised with Duda's reaction, as the president "has (this - PAP) knowledge from one of the services."
Sikorski wants Szatkowski to be replaced by Jacek Najder, who served as Poland's ambassador to the military bloc in 2011-2016.
However, Najder's appointment requires Duda's signature. (PAP)
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