Monday, October 25, 2021
Katarina Barley in the “early start”
“Poland and Hungary endanger the EU”
EU Parliament President Barley says that the EU will “no longer be able to continue like this” if it does nothing to counter the anti-European trend that started in Hungary and has been adopted by Poland.
The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Katarina Barley, warns of the collapse of the European Union. With the ruling of the Polish Constitutional Court, the government in Warsaw had left the European legal community, said the SPD politician in the “early start” at ntv.
This anti-European trend has its origins in Hungary: “The avalanche effect originated in Hungary. Conditions there are where we can no longer speak of democracy,” said Barley. The Polish government has taken over the autocratic thinking from Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. “With Poland and Hungary we have two countries that have been working for several years to change our understanding of democracy and the rule of law.”
Other EU states such as Slovenia are also at risk from this development. According to the SPD politician, these states would not be satisfied with abolishing the independence of the judiciary in their own countries. “I see the real danger that if we do nothing now, the European Union will not be able to continue like this,” warned Barley: “The danger is absolutely real. Therefore, the EU must finally act more consistently.”
With regard to the situation on the Polish border with Belarus, Barley said that this crisis made it clear, above all, what had not been achieved at European level. “We are now seeing the effects of many years of failed migration policies,” said Barley. The new federal government must advocate a common migration policy in the EU Council. “If the European Union does not have a common migration policy, it can be blackmailed.”
A common EU migration policy is, however, incredibly difficult, said Barley, because countries like Hungary and Poland have had nothing to do with the refugee issue for years. Poland becomes a victim of its own politics. “Perhaps the current developments will make Poland realize that they will not be able to do it on their own.” Barley also pointed out that the current migration crisis on Poland’s borders is not just a Polish problem, but above all a European one. It is therefore right to promise Poland support now in this crisis.