http://www2.polskieradio.pl/eo/dokument.aspx?iid=70537

‘PM should cooperate with President’

29.11.2007

Former Prime Minister and opposition party leader Jarosław Kaczyński has criticized his successor’s rocky relations with the President.

 

“In foreign policy a PM should be ready to co-operate with the President,” Kaczyński said, referring to PM Donald Tusk who failed to consult President Lech Kaczynski on Poland’s change of stance on Russia’s joining the OECD.

 

Law and Justice leader added that informing the President is “the lowest level of co-operation”.

 

“The constitution states it clearly that foreign policy is such a domain where co-operation between the president and the prime minister is required, this means that the PM should be ready to co-operate with the president and in any case should inform him,” Kaczyński said.

 

“This is absolutely clear that information is the lowest level of co-operation. But lack of information may be even an act of violating the constitution,” he added.

 

During a press conference on Tuesday Prime Minister Donald Tusk informed that Poland has resigned from blocking negotiations on Russian accession to the OECD. According to the Presidential Chancellery, the President was surprised with this information and only learned it from the media. (jm)