Poland took over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Foreign press comments

The Polish presidency of the Council of the European Union began on January 1 and will last until the end of June. During this time, our country will be responsible, among other things, for setting the agenda for the meetings of its individual bodies and conducting negotiations among the member states. It took place on Friday evening at the Grand Theater in Warsaw gala inaugurating the Polish Presidency.

International media comment on Poland's takeover of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

“Poland took over the rotating presidency of the EU Council during a period of uncertainty in Europe,” noted the Spanish daily “La Vanguardia”, listing the political crises in France and Germanythe upcoming presidency Donald Trump In USA and war in Ukraine.

The newspaper noted that the presidency does not involve any real power and is a technical task, but “it provides symbolism and visibility, and Warsaw sees it as an opportunity to strengthen its position as the new geopolitical engine of Europe.” He concludes that “Poland wants to be the driving force” of the European Union.

The daily also wrote that the prime minister was “liberal and pro-European”. Donald Tusk stands in stark contrast to the Prime Minister Hungarian Viktor Orban, whose country presided over the EU Council last six months.

“The Franco-German engine of Europe has stopped, while Poland, a large EU member state, offers a stable political situation and dynamic economic development,” said Joanna Maria Stolarek from the Heinrich Boell Foundation, quoted by “La Vanguardia”.

“However, the belief that Poland can play a role as a new significant player has not yet reached Western Europe,” added Stolarek, who believes that European Union should use Poland's expert knowledge in the face of Russian aggression Ukraine and security challenges.

According to the Catalan daily, the rotating presidency of the EU Council “offers Poland a platform to push its agenda and consolidate external leadership, but this goal may be hampered by domestic politics.”

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While “Dagens Nyheter”, the largest daily newspaper in Swedenwriting about the Polish presidency, recalled that Donald Tusk is an experienced player in big politics, he was previously the head of the Polish government and the president of the European Council.

“Poland is one of the large European countries and basically the only one that currently has a strong position. Germany and France are immersed in internal political crises,” the newspaper said.

In the opinion of the “Dagens Nyheter” columnist, “Tusk's potential to change the world should not be overestimated, but we should also not underestimate the importance of entering 2025 with him at the helm.”

The daily reminds that Poland has already led positive changes in Europe – the Polish Solidarity movement initiated a wave of freedom that in the 1990s tore down walls, spread democracy and increased the number of members of the European Unionand also strengthened the market economy.

“When Poland now takes over the presidency, it brings with it a logo with a wonderfully nostalgic look, which is no accident. The graphic sign was designed by Jerzy Janiszewski, the author of the Solidarity symbol,” the newspaper concludes.