Polish FM says new president may try to topple current government
President-elect Karol Nawrocki will be instructed by the leader of the conservative opposition to instigate the collapse of the current centrist government, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski has said.
Nawrocki, a right-wing historian backed by the main opposition party, the socially-conservative Law and Justice (PiS), will be sworn in as the next president of Poland on August 6. In the June 1 run-off election, he narrowly defeated Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski, a candidate of the ruling centrist Civic Coalition. His victory has dashed hopes that the pro-EU government will be able to follow through with its liberal agenda, as the president has the power to veto bills.
Despite posing as a civic candidate in his campaign, Nawrocki was strongly supported by PiS and appeared at its party rallies and congresses.
Sikorski told public broadcaster Polish Radio Three on Tuesday that the president-elect was clear about his intentions to facilitate the seizing of power by PiS and the far-right Confederation even before the parliamentary elections scheduled for the autumn of 2027.
"I believe in the honesty of these intentions," Sikorski said.
"I think he will have only one task from (PiS leader Jaroslaw - PAP) Kaczynski, which is to overthrow the government," he added.
Recent opinion polls showed that a coalition of PiS and Confederation could win a strong majority in parliament.
Sikorski also expressed concerns that Nawrocki may want to interfere with Poland's foreign policy, traditionally the competence of the government, and over his plan to unilaterally withdraw from the EU's migration pact.
"It doesn't bode well that the president-elect imagines that he will conduct European policy, because it is not within the president's competence," he said.
His words came in reaction to the opposition's apparent use of immigration as a political tool amid growing aversion towards migrants in Poland.
Right-wing media and politicians have recently intensified claims that Germany may be sending illegal migrants to Poland.
Such reports have spurred some right-wing groups to organise so-called Civic Guard units, which 'patrol' the border crossings with Germany looking for attempts to enter Poland by illegal migrants.
Sikorski said that currently there was "no extraordinary traffic from Germany to Poland," but added that at its meeting later on Tuesday, the government was likely to make some "tough decisions" on the matter. (PAP) jd/jch
