PM Tusk – ‘EU invention for hard times’

Prime Minister Tusk talking at the opening session of the XXI Krynica Economic Forum. Photo: PAP/Grzegorz Momot

The prime minister criticised ideas to curb European integration, saying the maintenance of the status quo was not enough and that the 27-nation bloc has to expand.

“The construction of separate structures, exclusive political formats within the European Union, doubting the Schengen zone idea and the idea of expanding by countries and nations, which meet all its criteria and standards – all this would be signs of a defeat, not justified by facts. The European Union is an invention for hard times”, Donald Tusk declared.

The Polish PM said that those EU member states which want to introduce limitations have not coped with the crisis well, while central and east European countries have weathered it fairly well, as their economic indicators show.

“Four countries of this region are among the top five economic growth leaders in the second quarter of this year – Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden and Poland,” said Tusk.

Energy security on the cards

International infrastructure projects are on the Forum’s agenda this year, with hopes that gas networks will be constructed to guarantee the energy security of the Central-East European region.

The talks come as the European Commission presented a new strategy, Wednesday, to govern EU member states’ relations with energy suppliers and transit countries. The same day, Russian PM Vladimir Putin ‘switched on’ the anticipated Nord Stream pipeline, with gas deliveries expected to reach Germany in early October.

Other topics of concern for the Krynica Economic Forum’s participants are the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), fighting of corruption and organised crime in countries wishing to join the bloc, as well as dealing with the public finance crisis in the PIGS countries (Portugal, Italy, Greece, and Spain). (jb/kk/pg)