Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki visits the Netherlands
31.05.2023
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met with the head of the Dutch government Mark Rutte in The Hague. The issues discussed by the two leaders included bolstering the security commitment to our region. Reforming the European Union and the question of unanimity were also among the topics of discussion, as was the development of common mechanisms concerning migration.
The heads of government of Poland and the Netherlands discussed the security situation in our region ahead of the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius. "I would like to thank the Dutch Prime Minister for the fact that the Netherlands is highly sensitive to issues related to the great crisis we all face, namely the war in Ukraine and Russia’s barbaric attack," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki stressed.
EU Reform and Unanimity
Mateusz Morawiecki and Mark Rutte discussed the issue of reforming the functioning of the EU. The Polish PM believes the reforms should not involve changes to the principle of unanimity on key issues. Here, the EU should decide unanimously and develop a consensus. "Poland unequivocally believes that unanimity is a kind of safety valve that protects us from the domination of larger and stronger states," the head of the Polish government explained.
Responsibility for Migration Issues Must Rest with Nation States
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki noted that in the event of a large influx of migrants through southern Europe, common mechanisms should be developed to provide help in their countries of origin. By no means does Poland avoid tackling such issues as humanitarian aid to Africa. "Our position is that Europe cannot accept an unlimited number of migrants," the Prime Minister stressed. "We need to be able to decide together what migration policy is. And, after all, developing migration policy as such is the sovereign right of each EU country," he added.
EU Sanctions Against Belarus
The Polish Prime Minister and the Dutch head of government also touched on further sanctions against Belarus. "Belarus serves Russia as part of a chain of circumventing sanctions," Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki noted. "I will be raising this issue at the forthcoming European Council because, on the one hand, this will serve to strengthen the mechanisms for sealing the sanction packages, and on the other, it will be a signal to all those who want to work closely with the Kremlin that it is not worth it," the Prime Minister explained
