Deputy FM tells US: Poland respects democratic standards

Dziedziczak said that Polish domestic affairs and a row over Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal were among issues raised during his talks in Washington with Victoria Nuland, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.

"We broached many topics, we also talked about the new Polish government. I gave explanatory answers, and I think that the meeting proceeded in a very good atmosphere," Dziedziczak said.

His visit is the first to the United States by a senior Polish foreign ministry official since the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party came to power in Poland’s October general elections.

The European Commission last month started a probe into whether controversial laws pushed through by Law and Justice violate EU standards, amid concern at the party’s changes to Poland’s powerful Constitutional Tribunal.

While in Washington, Dziedziczak also discussed cooperation on security issues, the NATO summit due to take place in Warsaw in July, as well as a Nuclear Security Summit, which takes place in the United States March 31-April 1 and which is to be attended by Polish President Andrzej Duda. (pk)

Source: IAR/PAP