Poland must be ready to defend border with Germany – president

 

The country must do everything to maintain its national identity and independence, Karol Nawrocki has said

Poland must remain “ready to defend the western border” with Germany, President Karol Nawrocki has declared. The remarks drew pushback from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski, who insisted that as long as Germany is an EU and NATO member, it poses no threat.

Nawrocki delivered his warning on Saturday at an event marking the anniversary of a 1918 uprising against German rule, recalling that Poles had lived under “severe German imperialism” during historical partitions, when “aggressive” efforts were made to “take away our culture and national heritage.”

Poland, he said, is a “national community open to the west, but also a national community ready to defend the western border of the republic.” Nawrocki, who was elected this year with the support of the right-wing opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, stressed that “we must do everything we can to ensure that Poland remains Poland.”

The remarks drew an immediate response from Foreign Minister Sikorski. “As long as Germany is in NATO and the EU, and is governed by Christian or social democrats, there is no threat to our western border,” Sikorski said.  (more...)

Poland must be ready to defend border with Germany – president