ROMANIA AT THE HELM OF THE UNION
Mirosław Piotrowski
‘Europe is Romania, Romania is Europe’ – said president of Romania Klaus Iohannis during the last plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasburg. This is another president of the EU membership country who was invited in the formula of a monthly debate on the future of Europe. Before him there were others, like the president of France Emmanuel Macron and also prime ministers, for example, of Poland – Mateusz Morawiecki. They all have a chance to share their visions with others. They are different. If comparing them, they are contradictory in many basic issues. For example, if the mentioned Macron would like the Union to function at different paces, depart from unanimity in making decisions, and sees helmets of the EU army with the eyes of his imagination, the president of Romania thinks that ‘the project of many groups is not a solution’ - for him the key for the EU cooperation must be unity, so he formulates a postulate of ‘avoiding to create parallel structures towards NATO’. Well, this is a kind of a EU proverbial ‘unification in variety’. Indeed France is a bigger country and, after all, the founder of the EU, but in two months’ time this is Romania which will take over leadership in the EU Council and will be at the helm of it. It will last six months. Very important months. It will be time of preparations and the very election for the European Parliament, in all EU countries. Euro-enthusiasts notice one essential problem. In their opinion, Romania is departing from European standards. Criticism has been addressed to the Romanian reform of justice, a way of functioning special services and corruption. Unreliable Guy Verhofstadt was appealing that Romania should not follow the path of Poland and Hungary. During a debate with president of Romania, the chairman of our Chamber – Antonio Tajani was tactfully giving tips to speakers that they should focus on the future of Europe, as the debate on the situation in Romania had taken place two weeks earlier. And, by the way, one should say: it is a pity that he did not reveal a similar tact when the Polish prime minister was speaking about the future of Europe here. As for disciplining Romania, it took place, indeed. It was characterized by perceivable restraint. Please, do not be astonished that at the helm of the Romanian government there is a socialist activist Viorica Dancila, who was an Euro-deputy and a member of the second-large socialist group in the EP not long time ago. At present she is governing in Romania, being in a coalition with liberals who belong to the European political family ALDE of Guy Verhofstadt. So, it was necessary to chastise Romania, but, certainly, with restraint. However, among Euro-philes are becoming unsatisfied and anxious. What will happen when the Romanians do not get better and on the one hand it will be necessary to discipline them publicly in the EU again, or maybe even introduce sanctions, but, on the other hand – will they, as the EU presidency, decide about implementing them?
Translated by Aneta Amrozik
Niedziela 44/2018 (4 XI 2018)