Poland’s Law and Justice Party may seek another round of renegotiations will the European Union if they win the country’s parliamentary elections in October this year.
The party – which sits with David Cameron’s Conservative Party in the European Parliament – is currently the favourite to walk away with control of Poland’s parliament. It is expected, as a somewhat Eurosceptic group, to demand that some of the country’s rules are changed, such as legislation on carbon emissions.
The development may boost Mr Cameron’s negotiating position, as there will then be two parties in the Europe of Conservatives and Reformists EU Parliamentary group urging change.
The party won the Presidency of the country earlier this year, and is now making noises about the country’s energy security, according to Bloomberg:
Law & Justice, which opinion polls show winning October’s general election, has vowed to toughen Poland’s stance on climate issues to protect the $526 billion economy, which relies on coal for about 90 percent of its electricity. While the government has been critical of EU emissions goals, it didn’t veto last year’s move toward stricter curbs on discharging heat-trapping carbon dioxide.
Piotr Naimski, energy policy expert for the party said last week, “The strategy that we’re planning for the economy rejects the dogma of de-carbonization. The role of coal in Poland’s economy fully deserves to receive special treatment.”
But British eurosceptics shouldn’t get that excited about the prospect. Naimski also said: “Nobody is thinking of leaving the EU, but there is an idea to again look at Poland’s unique situation.”
The country is looking to end its energy dependance on Russia’s Gazprom – a development which European lawmakers may indeed make concessions for, given the animosity between the EU and Vladimir Putin’s country.
Coal-power production is perhaps the most affordable and convenient way for Poland to achieve this, but it would fall foul of EU emissions quotas, if concessions aren’t made.
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