There will be no sanctions against Poland, Sigmar Gabriel to leave

Faruk Sadik
Aug 24, 2017 · 3 min read

The article has been translated from German. Originally published here.

Dissonance that characterizes the EU has no end. And this is due to not only migration crisis, but also ambitions of Germany as this country strives to play the largest role in Europe. Relations between Germany and Poland have become especially bad. The reason for this is associated with not only the fact that Warsaw has refused to allow entry for refugees within the approved quotas. Another reason is the reform of the judiciary that runs counter to all principles of the European democracy. All of this gives Brussels the grounds to impose sanctions against Poland. And the process has started. But will it be brought to a conclusion?

Not only citizens of Poland, but also the European Commission (EC) take a stand against the judicial reform, maintaining that it violates the European Union legislation. Despite all exhortations and even threats to impose financial penalties and deprive of the right to vote, President Andrzej Duda has signed the bill. That is why the EC has begun the procedure to prevent of violations of the EU legislation, directed against Poland. Can Brussels logically finish what it has started? No, probably not.

As can be seen from the Polish Foreign Minister’s correspondence with his Lithuanian counterpart, there is a deal between Germany and the USA. It is that Angela Merkel will do her utmost to block proceedings against Poland and other Eastern European countries. In return, the US State Department pledges to support European policies of Berlin and, most importantly, not to get involved in Federal elections in Germany.

I seem to remember Merkel has quite recently said, ‘We, Europeans, really need to take our destiny in our own hands’. But in reality it is just empty words. Merkel does not advocate all-European interests; she upholds her own ones. Her purpose is to hold on the seat of the Federal Chancellor for another four years. And just for this cause she is ready to turn a blind eye to all violations of the EU legislation that Eastern European countries are committing without shame now.

Moreover, for the sake of her election victory Merkel is ready to sacrifice one of the most popular politicians in Germany, namely, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Sigmar Gabriel, in order to serve the USA. His hardline rhetoric gets on Washington’s nerves, and owing to this the White House believes there is no place for him in a new government of Germany.

So now, as then, it is not a matter of any self-reliant domestic or foreign policy which will be independent from the US guidance. Despite all statements of Angela Merkel, Germany continues to be a Washington’s vassal.

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