“Poland supports the open door policy to the EU and an enlargement policy based on conditionality that would mobilise countries to make progress in implementing reforms,” Deputy Minister Konrad Szymanski said during a debate in Lublin.

The meeting emphasised that the enlargement policy is supported by most EU member states, as confirmed among others by the Warsaw Declaration this May and the joint statement of the foreign ministers of 13 states on the opening of accession negotiations by Albania and North Macedonia, in June this year. Speakers also discussed the Eastern Partnership, acknowledging that its 10th anniversary is an opportunity to give this policy a renewed dynamic. “Poland believes that the future of the Eastern Partnership should be based on three equally important elements: approximation of legislation, sectoral cooperation, and political and institutional integration,” underlined Deputy Minister Konrad Szymański.

The debate in Bialystok was devoted to the future of Eastern policy, consular, and Polish diaspora-related affairs. Deputy Foreign Minister Marcin Przydacz outlined the main orientations and achievements of Poland’s foreign policy in 2015-2019. He paid particular attention to security policy in its military and economic context. He also recalled Poland’s activity in Central and Eastern Europe, including cooperation within the V4 group and the Three Seas Initiative. Economic relations were another important topic. “Poland is committed to increasing trade with the Eastern Partnership countries. In 2018, trade with Belarus grew by 25%,” stressed Deputy Minister Marcin Przydacz.

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The goal and main area of the RCID network’s activities is to bring the priorities of Poland’s foreign policy closer to the citizens and to strengthen the channels of cooperation between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, local governments, and non-governmental organisations. 

 

MFA Press Office