Poland takes over EU Council Presidency

President Komorowski; photo - PAP/Pawel Supernak

"This is our great success and a great source of joy," President Komorowski said Thursday as last minute preperations were underway.

Poland now takes over the baton from Hungary, which has just concluded its six-month presidency, whose closure also marks the end of the first "trio" of countries to manage the runnings of the EU Council.

The official handing over of the ‘reigns’ of the EU Council from Hungary’s PM Viktor Orban is to take place at noon in the Prime Minister’s Chancellery, where Donald Tusk will also meet with EU Council President Herman van Rompuy and Head of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso.

An hour earlier, at 11.00 CET a joint sitting of the National Assembly, comprising both houses of parliament, is to start with both hymns of Poland and the European Union. President Komorowski is to take the floor, as well as Parliamentary Speaker Grzegorz Schetyna and his opposite number from the Senate, Bogdan Borusewicz.

At 13.00 CET Poland’s president will meet Herman van Rompuy at the Belweder Palace.

Later in the afternoon, at 18.00 CET the European VIPs will descend on the Teatr Wielki near Warsaw’s Old Town for an official opening gala, which is to premiere a performance of Karol Szymanowski’s opera King Roger under the direction of David Pountney.

Polish Radio will be reporting on all the key events taking place today. (pg/jb)