Prime Minister Donald Tusk outlines his strategy in an interview for Polityka, Newsweek explains why Poland should spare no effort to meet the criteria for eurozone candidates, Tygodnik Powszechny assesses Poland's five years in the EU.

Press reviewed by Krystyna Kolosowska

The weekly Polityka talks to Prime Minister Donald Tusk about the election campaign to the European Parliament, the crisis, rocky relations with the president and the opposition. Asked about the European policy of his Civic Platform party, Tusk says its main strategy is stronger integration within the European Union. Poland’s prospects depend directly on the degree to which Europe is integrated. ‘I have in mind here common foreign policy and, in the future, also defence policy. I have in mind also the Lisbon Treaty plus, in other words moving father than so far. I deeply believe this is in the interest of the Polish nation.’ The Polish premier declares himself in favor of broadening the powers of the European authorities. The experience of relations with the United States, Poland’s main military ally, shows that the EU is one of two basic keys, if not the prime key, to Poland’s security in the future – security broadly understood, in economic and civilisational terms, PM Donald Tusk tells Polityka.

Five years after Poland entered the European Union, debate continues on whether to adopt the euro, writes the Polish version of Newsweek. Should Poland press for entering the ERM II Exchange Rate Mechanism as fast as possible? Or perhaps it should delay entry into the euro zone? One has the impression that the determination of the government and the majority of Poles to adopt the euro has been fluctuating as much as the zloty exchange rate. One year ago, when the zloty was very strong, hardly anyone called for a faster march towards the euro zone. This had nothing to do with sentimental considerations for the zloty, fear of losing sovereignty in shaping the country’s economic and financial policy or the cost of the change. The reason was more mundane. Thanks to the strong zloty Poles had cheaper imported goods, foreign trips and mortgage. With the euro in their wallets, they would not have had such benefits. But when the zloty started to fall last autumn, the appreciation of having a common currency began to grow, reaching the peak in winter. Now, the temperature of the discussion is down again. Newsweek goes on to say that Poland is lucky it will take the final decision on the euro after it has seen how the euro zone has coped with the crisis. The snag is that it will be holding talks having a rather weak and unstable zloty, which will affect the competitive edge of the economy and growth rate. But one thing is clear. Poland should spare no effort to meet the criteria for the euro zone candidates, especially with regard to the budget deficit and inflation rate. This will do it good, even if the zloty remains the national currency for some time yet.

Tygodnik Powszechny writes that the high level of enthusiasm for the European Union among Poles is actually not enthusiasm for the political integration of the member states, but results from satisfaction with the civilisational advancement of Poland thanks to EU aid. The weekly claims that the very idea of closer integration is in crisis. The Lisbon Treaty is at risk. Even if it is adopted, its political message will be watered down. It looks like the idea of common Europe needs complete rethinking. Tygodnik Powszechny adds that over the past five years of membership in the EU, Poland has changed from a shy newcomer to a state to be reckoned with, at least sometimes. A good example was the March summit devoted to the economic crisis, when Poland managed to build a coalition of states, which forced through their stand – against the will of such a powerful EU member as France.

Solidarnosc, a weekly of the Solidarity trade union, is lambasting European commissioner for competition Nelly Kroes after she had negatively assessed the restructuring plan for Poland’s Gdansk shipyard. The yard workers are outraged because the shipyard is working in top gear and has prospects to grow. Even German commissioner Verhaugen was surprised, suggesting that this may have been her private opinion. What is the Polish government doing? – asks Solidarnosc.

Wprost wonders, tongue-in-cheek, why an open declaration that one does not go to the polls is regarded as a sign of civic irresponsibility. Is the parliament or a local council elected by 80 percent of those eligible to vote better than the one elected by 30 percent of the citizens? Besides, absence at the polling station is voting, too, though of a different kind, and is sometimes even more painful for politicians. Those who are deploring the fact that only a dozen or so percent of Poles want to vote in the elections to the European Parliament, clearly think Poles are a bunch of idiots. Ordinary Poles know that these elections have little impact on their life, so they opt for a weekend break or rest on the couch at home. That was Wprost.