If the president wanted to participate in this gala, he would simply come. He was invited, he was expected. We were ready until the last minute. If he wanted to appear, of course he would be welcomed there – said Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, deputy minister for European affairs, in “Jed na Jedno” on TVN24.
On Friday evening, a gala inaugurating the Polish Presidency of the EU Council took place at the Grand Theater in Warsaw. The president did not attend Andrzej Dudadespite being officially invited. The head of state was represented at the event by presidential advisor Wojciech Gerwel.
“It was a coordinated action”
– The president was invited, he has talked a lot about the presidency in recent months, he showed great interest in the presidency, he talked about proposing priorities, so from my point of view, it's a pity that the president wasn't there – said the deputy minister for European affairs in “One on One”. Magdalena Sobkowiak-Czarnecka, plenipotentiary of the minister for the preparation and exercise of the presidency.
In her opinion, “it was a more coordinated action.” – We also invited all parliamentarians and all MEPs, regardless of political option. He was only from the opposition side Marcin Przydacz from Law and Justice. There was also Konrad Szymański, but from what I remember, Minister Szymański says that he does not belong to Law and Justice. So, in fact, they did not appear at the gala yesterday, despite being invited, said the minister.
– Mr President, I think it's a huge pity. We invited him, there was a special letter – she pointed out.
Andrzej Duda did not take part in the inauguration of the Polish Presidency of the EU CouncilPAP/Paweł Supernak
“If Mr. President wanted to participate in this gala, he would just come.”
The invitation was sent on December 9, and on December 31, the reply came that the president would be represented by the deputy head of his office. When asked whether in the meantime, during these three weeks, there had been any talks or attempts to contact the prime minister's office and the president's office regarding the gala, Sobkowiak-Czarnecka replied that “there were informal contacts, which consisted in determining whether the president would be whether he won't be there.”
Meanwhile, in a message sent to the reporter of “Fakty po afternoon” TVN24, Piotr Parol presidential minister Małgorzata Paprocka stated that “after sending the invitation, there was no contact with the Chancellery of the Prime Minister or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on this matter.” “We can conclude from this that it was not an important event for the organizers,” she added.
– I think this is now making history of everything that happened. I understand that the minister expected some special additional letter? – wondered the guest of “One on One”. As she added, “if there is good will, you don't say 'maybe you should have called this phone or another one'.” – If the president wanted to participate in this gala, he would simply come. He was invited, he was expected. We were ready until the last minute. If he wanted to come, of course he would be welcomed there, she argued to the minister.
Main photo source: PAP/Leszek Szymański