Kosma Tadeusz Zoolwski
Kosma Tadeusz Zolowski
Interviews

“I See Trump Not as a Threat, but Rather as an Opportunity” – An Interview with PiS MEP Kosma Zlotowski

Poland has been one of the key states in Europe since 2015, with a government that has opposed many decisions made by Brussels. However, since 2023, there has been a change of government, and it is now led by Donald Tusk. Also, at the beginning of this year, Poland will have the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Finally, we will see how Trump’s presidency may impact Europe.
For this reason, The Long Brief has decided to interview Kosma Tadeusz Zlotowski. Zlotowski served as the President (Mayor) of the city of Bydgoszcz from 1994 to 1995. Zlotowski was a member of the Polish Senate (2005-2007) and a member of the Sejm (Polish Parliament)  (1997-2001; 2011-2014). Since 2002, he has been a member of the Prawo I Sprawiedliwosc (PiS – Law and Justice) party. Kosma Zlotowski has also been a Member of the European Parliament since 2014. He is affiliated with the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR) and was elected as a Quaestor of the European Parliament, which involves administrative and financial responsibilities for MEPs. He works for the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN), where he has been involved in issues like road safety, driver welfare, and transport infrastructure in Poland.

More than a year has passed since the parliamentary elections in Poland. What is your assessment of the performance of Donald Tusk’s government?

I’m a member of the largest opposition party in Poland, so this could be seen as a potential lack of objectivity on my part. Therefore, I will use unprejudiced data. Tusk’s party entered the 2023 elections with the slogan “100 concretes for the first 100 days” (“100 Konkretów na pierwsze 100 dni rządów” in Polish – the Editor). It was a list of 100 ideas to be implemented in that period.

In March 2024, after these 100 days had passed, the status was as follows: Six (government) promises had been fully implemented and 15 had been implemented only partially. The remaining ones? You’d better not ask.

Moreover, they cannot even blame the president of Poland, as he signs the vast majority of the laws they propose.

This government is incredibly lazy, especially when compared to the first day of President Trump’s presidency, when he signed dozens or even hundreds of decrees immediately after taking office. This is a direct result of not going into an election with a specific vision for the country. The only thing that united the different parties at that time was their desire to replace the current ruling party.

Immigration is always a major issue in European countries. In recent months, it has been possible to see in the news and on social networks videos of immigrants vandalizing in Poland, when that, since the PiS governed since 2015, was hardly ever seen. Is Tusk obeying what Brussels says to meet the refugee quota that PiS has always opposed?

While some incidents have occurred, we must look at the big picture. Illegal migration has always been seen as dangerous by our government, and we have been criticized in Brussels for this.

When we came to power in Poland, it coincided with the 2015 migration crisis. At that time, our consistent stance ensured the safety of Polish citizens and prevented us from participating in the Commission’s absurd and dangerous ideas. When war broke out in Ukraine, hundreds of thousands fled to Poland in the first days. Poland and the Poles handled this challenge brilliantly, showing that we are not a homophobic country but extremely hospitable. The difference was mainly that women, children, and the elderly were fleeing Ukraine, as opposed to the migration crisis, where, as we know, young men, in particular, were fleeing. Ukrainians, being our neighbors, integrated into Polish society with ease.

Speaking of immigration, a few months ago, a Polish soldier was killed by an immigrant at the border. What is the situation at the Polish border? Is the government managing it well?

That is just another example of the incredible hypocrisy of Tusk and his government.

When the migrant crisis hit Poland’s eastern border in 2021, the Polish government made a responsible decision to start building a wall.

Construction began in January 2022 and was completed in June. This was a crucial decision, as Poland is responsible not only for protecting its own citizens but also for those of the entire EU, given its status as an EU border state. Our government took the initiative using our own resources, as the European Commission has historically opposed the use of Union funds for hard border security measures.

During that period, Donald Tusk publicly dismissed the idea of building the wall, and his party in the Polish parliament voted against the construction bill. Fortunately, today, despite some incidents, Poland remains a safe place to live, unlike many Western countries.

Turning to current issues, Poland received its frozen EU funds. However, the new Tusk government did not make any substantial changes in judicial or rule of law matters. Why has there been such a change from the European Commission?

The answer to this question is simple, yet terrifying. Von der Leyen made her feelings known to Tusk when she bid him farewell at an EPP rally in 2022, expressing her hope that “when they meet again, she will see him as prime minister.”

The European Commission’s actions were not at all about the concern for the rule of law. Their true aim was to have a government in Poland that would unquestioningly obey Brussels.

It remains only to mention that according to the EU treaties, the Commission is independent and shall refrain from any action incompatible with its duties or the performance of its tasks.

Poland currently holds the Presidency of the Council of the EU. What are the objectives and what do you think about them?

There is a cross-party consensus in Polish politics that the most important thing, especially today, is the security of all of us. As the eastern guardian of the EU and the NATO border, we are aware that security cannot be compromised.

Therefore, the task of the Polish Presidency will be not only to develop Europe’s military potential, but also to raise issues such as the Union’s financing of critical defense infrastructure, such as walls on the borders.

However, when we talk about security, it is not only in the military aspect, but also in the energy aspect. That’s why I think that in the next few months Poland will want to use its influence to cut off supplies from Russia completely. So that we become independent from an authoritarian regime in order to prevent further aggression from Putin’s Russia. Nevertheless, the European Union is mostly concerned with economic cooperation. It is, therefore, essential to start a process of deregulation and simplification. This will make Europe an attractive place to invest in again and ensure our citizens live well and prosper.

On the 28th of January, there will be an event called MEGA. Co-organized by the AUR party and the ECR group. Outside the ECR, there were politicians from the European People’s Party, the Patriots, and Europe of Sovereign Nations. Do you think there can be real cooperation between these groups?

In 2024, European voters decisively shifted the political spectrum in the European Parliament to the right. It’s clear to me that this shift happened for reasons that are hard to deny. Over-regulation and the green madness that’s coming out of the Brussels bubble have become a significant burden for Europeans. Just look at the high costs of agriculture, electricity, cars, and services in Europe. Yet, all three right-wing groups are to some extent restricted by the European center-left and left mainstream. This effectively curtails their influence, violating democratic principles and showing a blatant disregard for the voters of these factions.

There are areas where our agendas converge, and all three groups must play a role in reversing the absurdities of the green deal during this term.

However, it is necessary to acknowledge the inherent differences between our groups, which, at times, are irreconcilable. Take, for example, our attitudes toward relations and cooperation with Russia. The ECR is unquestionably the most anti-Russian party in the European Parliament, as it consists of Members of the European Parliament from countries where Russia has posed a direct threat to their sovereignty. That’s why, unlike some politicians in the ECR, we consider it crucial to help the brutally invaded Ukraine – because we know that after Ukraine, the Baltic states and Poland are the next in line.

Finally, Donald Trump is back in the White House. How do you evaluate his return? How will it affect Europe?

The question of Europe’s defense is a key piece of the new international puzzle, and it is essential to the strengthening of the North Atlantic Alliance. Trump’s use of bold and direct language allows him to achieve goals that benefit not only the United States but also Poland’s and Europe’s security. President Trump’s position that America should not protect states that do not allocate a mandatory 2 percent of GDP to defense is an example of such language. However, examining the effects he achieved with this controversial statement is important. Poland very rightly allocated not only the 2 percent required by NATO for defense but also raised the bar to 4 percent in 2024. In contrast, countries like Germany, Spain, Italy (all wealthier than us), or Belgium did not meet this requirement, breaking their commitments and allocating these funds to their own internal needs.

Trump’s announcement had a clear effect: Germany is now, for the first time in more than 20 years, allocating the required 2% of GDP to defense.

I anticipate a similar outcome for the announcement regarding an increase in the existing defense spending ceiling for NATO countries. If it can be raised to 3%, it will be a significant success and a boost in security for all. I also firmly believe that the announcements of tighter trade policies towards the EU will finally motivate the complacent Eurocrats to take action and support innovation and entrepreneurship in the Union.

The U.S. economy is far more dynamic and encourages entrepreneurship, while the EU is massively over-regulated, uncompetitive, and discourages investment. The EU is falling further and further behind its rivals, and our economy is losing ground to the US and China.

A demanding rival, but at the same time a partner, such as the United States, will force the EU authorities to take action to regain their position in the global economy.

Therefore, I see Trump not as a threat but rather as an opportunity for us.

Sergio Velasco
Sergio Velasco is a Spanish political scientist, analyst and political commentator. He is the founder of Filosofia Política, a social media-based enterprise where he details and offers his take on Spanish, Hungarian and Polish political developments. A columnist in Hungarian and Spanish press, he is often invited on television to share his thoughts with the viewers.

You may also like

Comments are closed.