Poland not considering quitting EU: deputy FM

Dziedziczak said suggestions that Poland’s governing Law and Justice (PiS) party wants the country to quit the European Union are “nonsense”, adding that the claim was put forward because of “inter-party rivalry”.

“But the EU may have a problem with other countries,” Dziedziczak said.

“We soon have elections in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, we can all see what is happening there,” he said, referring to an international standoff between the Netherlands and Turkey and riots in Rotterdam.

Other threats to the bloc, according to Dziedziczak, are right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who is “raging in France”, the economic situation in Eurozone countries Italy and Greece, and Brexit, which “is not the beginning of a European crisis but is the result of Europe’s ongoing policies.”

Dziedziczak said European Commission head Jean-Claude Juncker has “criticised Europe’s leaders for listening to… the citizens of their countries”, adding that this was “scandalous” and “perfectly plays to western, anti-EU rhetoric”.

Dziedziczak’s statements come after the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita on Monday reported that Le Pen said she is willing to work with the leader of Poland's ruling PiS party, Jarosław Kaczyński, in order to “dismantle” the European Union.

A Rzeczpospolita reporter later apologised for misquoting the French presidential candidate.

Meanwhile, Kaczyński said suggestions Poland wanted a Polexit were deceptive and manipulative, and PiS spokeswoman Beata Mazurek said the party is not interested in dismantling the EU. (vb/pk)