Polish president on Brussels trip

Duda will hold talks with the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. The two are to discuss key issues facing the EU in 2016, including the threat of Britain exiting the European Union, migration policy and problems faced by the Schengen zone, says presidential aide Krzysztof Szczerski.

Duda is also to meet with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the headquarters of the alliance in Brussels.

While in the city of Mons, the Polish head of state will be talking to the Supreme Allied Commander in Europe of NATO Allied Command Operations, General Philip Breedlove.

The visit is a chance to show that Poland is an active player in the EU, says political analyst Agnieszka Lada from the Institute of Public Relations in Warsaw.

Szczerski has previously said that Duda's trip had been planned for some time and was not connected with a European Parliament debate scheduled for Tuesday on developments in Poland.

The debate is to be held amid concerns about the rule of law in Poland and about changes pushed through by the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party to the media and judiciary.

(ab/rg/pk)