Today in Strasbourg, during the ongoing plenary session of the European Parliament, a debate took place on the package to defend democracy. PiS MEP Joachim Brudziński spoke during the discussion.
Joachim Brudziński emphasized that it is obvious that European democracy must effectively prevent foreign interference in the electoral processes of member states. “But we also know how much funding Putin’s regime has allocated to corrupting influential circles in the European Union in order to build Russian spheres of influence,” the MEP noted, pointing out that it is a well-known fact that many former prime ministers, ministers, even chancellors have been and continue to be on the Kremlin’s payroll, and that many politicians serving in the European Parliament have been corrupted by the governments of the Persian Gulf region or North Africa. The MEP also highlighted the growing threat of Chinese influence in Europe. At the same time, Brudziński drew attention to “something particularly dangerous and unacceptable,” namely the actions taken by European institutions—including the European Commission and the European Parliament, toward the governments of those countries where citizens have democratically chosen to entrust power to parties that do not belong to the current mainstream establishment in Brussels. “How many scandalous remarks have been made from this very place, in this Chamber, including by representatives of the European Commission, directed at governments such as Law and Justice in Poland. How scandalous were the words we heard calling for the financial starvation of Orbán’s government or the Law and Justice government in Poland. How many reprehensible calls were made—even by the head of the European Commission—to Italian citizens before the elections, warning them not to dare vote for a party that is not part of the Brussels establishment,” he noted.
The Polish politician stated that such actions are just as dangerous to European democracy as the influence of third countries. “Because it cannot be the case that democracy means anyone can govern, provided they come from your majority. It is the citizens of the member states who decide, not the Brussels establishment,” he emphasized.
