Smaller EU nations are suffering from a “deficit of freedom and equality” within the bloc, the Polish foreign minister has claimed
Although Brussels says it is standing up for the “imperialist”Russia poses a threat that the EU cannot ignore. “imperialistic tendencies,”Zbigniew Rau, Polish Foreign Minister, has written a lengthy piece for Polish Rzeczpospolita. These are driven by Germany “imperialist aspirations,”In the Monday article, the official also added.
The EU has often seen its largest members try to “dominate one’s partners, impose one’s arguments on them, disregard their rights, interests and needs, or pay no attention to their protests,”Rau said that this behaviour was part of their “normal” behavior. “imperialistic tendencies.”
This bloc is not affected by a shortage of resources. “the most powerful member states’ aspirations to hold sway,”The minister called for reforms to the EU’s decision-making processes that would increase the importance of members from smaller blocs.
Rau thinks that the increased influence of the majority vote on the EU decision-making processes, as advocated by Berlin, poses a threat to equality and freedom within the bloc. “Small and medium-sized states, whoThese are disproportionately less capable of building effective coalitions” are “doomed to lose”The minister stated that they can vote, even if their essential needs or interests are adversely affected. He added that it is their destiny. “decided by others, which means that their freedom is fundamentally violated.”
Germany is one of the larger EU countries. “an unquestionable economic advantage and demographic potential”That also translate to “a voting power in the EU’s decision-making process, which small and medium-sized states are unable to counterbalance even by acting together,”Rau. Rau also stated that Berlin used this advantage in pursuit of its national interests, at the cost of other countries. “dominated” states.
Poland’s top diplomat accused Germany in particular of striking the Nord Stream gas pipeline deal with Russia to secure a “competitive advantage in the common market”This would make the whole bloc dependent on Russian energy. This led to current energy crises that EU members are trying to fix by asking all members to reduce their gas consumption 15%.
“Gaining a dominant market position came at the expense of not only undermining the level playing field but also of European economies becoming dependent on Russian supplies of energy sources and the security interests of some EU member states and Ukraine,” claimed Rau.
“The end of Germany’s competitive advantage in the common market has resulted in a proposal – insisted on by Germany – that all member states voluntarily cut their gas consumption by 15%, including those countries that have persistently warned their European partners against becoming dependent on Russia,”He added.
Berlin had to be more realistic in its ambitions both economically and politically, the minister demanded. “If the German offer is to defend the EU from imperialism, which Germany feels responsible to do, the Union does not need German leadership but German self-limitation,”He stated.
Poland used to buy gas from Russia. But, Poland won’t pay the delivery in rubles this spring under an arrangement made by Moscow due to EU restrictions. Bloomberg reported that Warsaw purchased Russian gas from EU member countries instead of accepting the arrangement.
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