The European Commission's decision to reject applications to the EU Twinning Programme from six Polish localities that had adopted resolutions discriminating against LGBT people (see EUROPE 12538/16) has not been well received in Warsaw.
Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro has described this rejection as “illegal” and pledged to vigorously defend the local authorities concerned, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) reported on Monday 3 August, referring to an interview Ziobro gave to the Polish weekly Do Rzeczy.
Members of the Solidarna Polska Party (United Poland - conservative right), of which Zbigniew Ziobro is a member, also put a question to the Polish government on this subject. In particular, they were concerned about what action would be taken to protect Polish local authorities from this decision they consider “harmful and contrary to the EU's cultural and Christian heritage”.
“I have asked the Prime Minister to take decisive action against the Commission”, the Justice Minister assured Do Rzeczy noting that the European institutions are bound by the Treaties to respect the national identity and autonomy of the Member States.
The Commission, in this case, has exceeded this “duty”, Mr Ziobro said. Citizens should be able to form their opinions freely without being “censored or influenced” by EU officials, he said.
Reacting at a press conference to the words of the Commissioner for Equality, Helena Dalli - who had invoked the respect for the EU's fundamental rights and values - Marcin Warchoł, Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice, for his part, regretted that the Commissioner “continues to violate the Charter of Fundamental Rights which she invokes”.
“Our treaties ensure that every person in Europe is free to be who they are, live where they like, love who they want”, the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, reinforced on Twitter. (Original version in French by Agathe Cherki)