Polish minister hits out at ‘aggressive’ German politicians

In an interview for Saturday’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Ziobro said: “It’s a question of historical sensitivity. In recent months there have been aggressive statements” by senior politicians hailing from Germany.

Ziobro pointed to a recent claim by European Parliament President Martin Schulz that the Polish government has been practicing “Putin-style” politics after it pushed through controversial changes to the media and judiciary.

Schulz has also claimed that political developments under Poland’s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) government, elected in October, “have the characteristics of a coup.”

“This was not a coup, this was a democratic election,” Ziobro told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

He referred to the devastation Poland suffered during World War II at the hands of the country’s Nazi German occupiers.

“Due to the huge losses we sustained at the hands of Nazi Germany, we are very sensitive when someone tries to impose something on us,” Ziobro said.

The European Commission last month started a probe into whether controversial laws pushed through by Law and Justice violate EU standards.

Ziobro has previously hit out at “silly” remarks by EU officials critical of Poland. (pk)

Source: Polish Radio