One of Berlin's dailies has heavily criticized Jaroslaw Kaczynski for his stance concerning the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty.

While lambasting the former Polish PM, the author of the article in the centre-left Berliner Zeitung, Frank Herold, lavishly praises Donald Tusk for his conduct of both internal and external policy, referring to the thaws in German-Polish and Polish-Russian relations in particular.

Herold claims that by blocking the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty Kaczynski confirmed his reputation of being a completely unpredictable politician, estimating that Kaczynski's stance might eventually lead to serious problems in the functioning of the EU.

Kaczynski’s Law and Justice party has tabled a number of amendments to the ratification bill currently passing through parliament, insisting on more opt-outs for Poland, as the UK has achieved, and the reintroduction of a preamble, as was in the original Constitution Treaty before it was voted against in French and Dutch referenda.

If successfully ratified by all member states, the Treaty of Lisbon will come in to force in 2009. (mn)