Amid pleas from the ruling Civic Platform party and in particular Radosław Sikorski, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Lech Kaczyński not attend the EU summit in Brussels, the President is still adamant to be present at the meet on October 16-17.

President Kaczynski refuted reports, Monday morning, that he is chartering a special jet to take him to Brussels the Presidential palce told journalists that, in fact, the head of state is planning “other means of transport”.

Sources now point to Mr. Kaczyński flying to Brussels with his Lithuanian counterpart, Valdas Adamkus.

However, the Presidential Chancellery wants to avoid such an emergency plan. Piotr Kownacki, head of the chancellery, said that the President would like to meet Premier Donald Tusk before the meeting in Brussels to discuss the matter.

The row over who goes to Brussels is just one of a series of disputes between president and government over who controls Poland’s foreign policy.

The Polish Constitution states that it is the Prime Minister who is in charge of Polish domestic and foreign affairs, yet President Kaczyński and Prime Minister Tusk have fought over who should represent Poland in Brussels before, especially over matter concerning Russia, Georgia, and the Lisbon Treaty. (jb)

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Sikorski begs Kaczynski to stay away from EU summit, thenews.pl, Oct 13