German Polish poverty exhibition 'patronising'

photo - EP

The exhibition, put on by German left wing MEP Gabriele Zimmer (PDS) is part of a seminar she is staging on poverty in the European Union.

Conservative Polish MEP Marek Migalski (PJN) says, however, that the Germany politician should first deal with poverty in her own country.

"It may have a nationalist motive or is patronizing towards us, treating Poland as a country that can not cope with its own problems,” Migalski told Polish Radio.

“Polish affairs should be settled by Polish politicians and the Polish government, not by a communist, German MEP,” Marek Migalski added.

MEP Zimmer says however that she wanted to deal with the problem of poverty in Europe and decided to show photographs of poverty in Poland after she received them from a left wing Polish politician and former fringe presidential candidate, Piotr Ikonowicz.

The exhibition is also endorsed by the Polish liberal-left Palikot Movement.

"No one has the right to forbid MEPs from showing problems in a country,” Zimmer says.

“For me, poverty is one of the main issues which need to be addressed in the European Union. Of course it is a problem and a matter of controversy, but why should we not talk about it?” (pg)