The European Union took a major step towards mending ties with member state Poland on Thursday by announcing it would begin releasing billions of euros in funding. The aid had been frozen over policies the bloc said amounted to backsliding on fundamental democratic principles.
The move is victory for Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who has worked hard to overturn measures imposed by the previous conservative government since he became premier in December.
Beyond its political significance, the move opens the way for up to €135 billion in EU aid to go to Poland over the coming few years.
The decision cements a sea change in relations. Both sides had openly clashed after the stridently nationalist Law and Justice party came to power in 2015 and implemented reforms that critics said placed Poland’s judiciary under political control.
The EU threatened to suspend Poland’s EU voting rights and also blocked its access to EU funds.
“Today is a landmark day for Poland,” said EU Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis.
Thanks to the country’s efforts to restore the rule of law, he said, “we are now able to unlock access” to a slew of funds designed to help EU nations recover from the Covid-19 crisis and assist their economies to rise to the standards of wealthier member nations.
But if Poland doesn’t follow through, restrictive measures could be reimposed.
(with newswires)
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