PES Manifesto

Ania Skrzypek: Lisbon Treaty - Polish Kinder Surprise

Publié mardi 25 mars 2008 à 16h30
par ania_skrzypek (vu 992 fois et 1 commentaires)

I write rarely about Poland – as a Secretary General of a European Organization. But as I have also never written a blog before I have decided to make an exception. Especially that the issue below remains at the heart of the manifesto debate on New Social Europe and “how to reach a New Social Europe for everyone and everywhere?"

There are few Easter traditions Polish cultivated up till today. One of them is the tradition of hand-painted Eggs, and another of “Wet Monday” when Polish are sprinkling water on one another. The wetter you get, the more popular you are – says ancient tradition. Both customs seem to have reached a new political dimension; just before Easter Polish got their very own “Kinder Surprise” hand-made by the Kaczynski Brothers colored in national white and red, indicating the popularity to wash away in a Niagara Falls of words like ‘never’, ‘scandal’, ‘forever’ the Lisbon Treaty.

Polish representatives, negotiating the Lisbon Treaty, made a lot of promises in the media. As a nation, educated in school by romantic literature, we like symbols underlined by a little drama. This is why it is in our political DNA to tear our clothes apart and claim that ‘we will die if…’ as in the negotiations; ‘…the Ioannina mechanism is not preserved’ or ‘…the scandalous Charter of Fundamental Rights that aims to destroy the moral order of our family-life is implemented”.

Some Polish politicians simply must be dramatic, even lie straightforward. And this is why, the “Lisbon gate” happened a week ago, bringing Poland once again to the front row of a struggle for “a” new institutional order in the EU.

PiS (Law and Justice) of Kaczynski Brothers want to adopt a bill, stating that no Polish government is allowed to step aside from ‘their’ agreements on Ioannina and The Charter. For that a special address of President Kaczynski in the form of bad a prime-time TV commercial was broadcasted.

PiS also popularized the idea that the Treaty offers German citizens new provisions to reclaim properties abandoned in 1945. ’God gave us the honor of Polish, and only to God we will return it’ said the last Polish King, which the two brothers seem to be fond of. Forgetting that shortly after these memorable words Poland was deconstructed.

Governing Civic Platform wants to guide Poland through, in order not to become the “Kinder Surprise” and seems ready to get to the inside of this egg. LiD (Centre-Left) calls for referendum, which once it is lost (in Poland 50% of all citizens must vote to make the result binding, this turnout is unlikely to occur) would lead to early general elections. LiD proposes also that such a referendum could pose few questions to Polish citizens; among them on the recent controversial issue of “in vitro”.

All in all, it seems to make Europe much further and vaguer for the Polish citizens than it has ever been. It is the sad truth that European debates are never about Europe, but about what nerves citizens’ in a country the most at that moment in time. Although the Treaty can help find solutions to questions of human and social security, the public debate is about “… our moral degradation” or “Germans grabbing land…”.

This Treaty is so important, and for us socialists it may be a step forward in our struggle for a Social Europe. None of the ‘experts’ mentioned the article 2 and 3, the values such as equality and social justice. There is no mentioning of what the provision on public services would mean, or the substantial progress towards a Europe speaking with one voice. Last but not least, there is nowhere in the debate to be found that this Treaty gives a chance to establish “a Europe of its citizens” responding to the citizens’ issues and through something that they can experience directly the million signatures citizens’ initiative.

How will the Polish debate end? Well, as with the “Kinder Surprise”; you can never be sure if you get a miniature Shrek, fast car or a puzzle, but every child knows the trick “shake it and sound will give you a hint”. Only 15% of Polish are at the moment against the Treaty (however not compared if the same part of the society objects the benefits from Polish membership in the EU) and all political parties call for ‘a compromise’ and as the media comments; Kaczynski showed himself as a real Polish Patriot, Prime Minister Tusk as a real Diplomat and LiD that there are many unsolved questions.

Can be an answer and a good answer – let’s hope it will not be taken over by wet Monday spirit and will not get wishy-washy…

Tags: blogueur de la semaine, citoyens, démocratie, jeunesse, services publics