Polish National Cabinet

Chair: Krzysztof Norko Crisis Director: Justinas Mickus

Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016

Contents

Letter from the Chair…….………………………...……………………...…..3

Introduction……………………………………….……………………...…..4

Positions…..……………………………………….……………………...…..6

Topic A: Judicial System Scandal and the .……..……..……9 Introduction…..………………………………….……………………….……………9 Current Situation………………………………….…………….…………...…………9 Relations with the EU….………………………….…………….………….…………11 Questions to Consider…….………..…………….………………...…….……….…...12

Topic B: National Defense………...…………………..…………………….14 Introduction….……………………………...….……………………….……………14 Current Situation………………………………….…………….…………...………..14 NATO & the United States……………………….…………….………….…………17 Questions to Consider…….………..…………….………………...…….……….…...19

2 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016

Letter from the Chair

Dear Delegates, Welcome to PMUNC 2016! My name is Krzysztof Norko and I will be your chair for the Polish Cabinet committee. As you may have realized from my name, I am Polish! Therefore, I have a strong personal interest in the events described in this background guide. Our crisis director, Justinas Mickus is also diligently following the events unfolding in . For a little bit more about myself, I am now a sophomore at Princeton planning to major in Operations Research and Financial Engineering, perhaps with a little bit of finance and computer science on the side. I began participating in Model UN in college and heave learned a lot in the past year! This will be my second PMUNC, and I have previously served as the director for the Organization of American States. I can’t wait to explore the issues facing Poland today with you and listen to discussion from all the different members of the cabinet. I hope you will move towards resolving some of these problems, or maybe reforming Poland in a major way, or maybe neither of those – who knows? It’s crisis! We will mainly be focusing on the rise of the right-wing (PiS) government since 2015. Since then, they have endured scandals accusing the party of a breach of democracy, bigotry, and more. The Polish people are unhappy about this and protests have been staged, accusing the government of acting against the constitution. Poland has also received significant criticism from the US and EU on these issues, and it is currently at risk of getting its voting rights taken away by the European Commission. However, the situation is not one-sided. The PiS cites legal nuances, attempting to legitimize their actions. I urge you to familiarize yourselves with some basic , especially the post-World War II era. The topic at hand will be concerned with domestic issues, international pressures, personal interests and constitutional legitimacy – it will be up to you to make these work to your advantage and lead the committee in a meaningful direction. The latest iteration of the Polish government is not yet 30 years old, meaning that memories of Soviet rule are still lurking in the memories of the Polish people, keep this in mind during committee. I recommend browsing articles by The New York Times, The Economist, and other resources for more insightful explanations on what is happening. I will be presiding over debate between cabinet members, ranging from political representatives from both parties and ministers to influential businessmen. Seeing ingenious solutions to problems in crisis is always a delight, and I look forward to seeing what you can all come up with! I hope you learn something from the committee and that this one country in Eastern Europe makes a bit more sense after this! I will attempt to simulate a realistic European environment; however, events will be dependent on your actions – cooperation and team work will be crucial. Right now, I suggest doing some light reading about the history and current situation of Poland in order to best prepare yourselves for what lies ahead. Feel free to reach out to me at [email protected] with any questions or comments. Good luck! Regards, Krzysztof Norko

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Introduction

Welcome to the Polish National Cabinet! This committee is meeting in the capital of

Poland, in the midst of a number of national crises. Your actions will affect the future of our great nation and the surrounding region.

For a number of years, Poland has been the poster child of development in Eastern

Europe. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, Poland worked hard to make itself an important economy in the Western world. Much to the dismay of , it joined NATO in

1999 and the European Union in 2004.1 Since then, it has showed amazing growth, with its

GDP growing from $64B in 1990 to $474B today.2 This is due to a variety of factors, including investment from the EU and privatization after its separation from the Soviet

Union.3 It is currently the 6th largest economy in the EU and has a population of 38 million people.4 Its location also carries strategic significance, acting as one of NATO’s first lines of defense against Russia.5

However, in recent years, a rivalry between the Civil Platform (PO), the center-right party, and the Law and Justice (PiS), the right-wing party of Poland, has presented several threats to the future prosperity of our country. PiS has been gaining ground recently as nationalist movements arise in the wake of PO’s EU-friendly, multiculturalist approach.6

People are afraid of losing their national identity to pan-European values.7 The political

1 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17753718 2 http://data.worldbank.org/country/poland 3 https://www.brookings.edu/blog/future-development/2015/02/11/how-poland-became-europes-growth- champion-insights-from-the-successful-post-socialist-transition/ 4 http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/travel_to_poland/business_in_poland/ 5 http://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2016/07/13/poland_in_nato_an_underrated_ally_109555.html 6 https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/24/law-and-justice-poland-putin-russia 7 Ibid.

4 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016 climate is also difficult to navigate due to the religious zeal in Poland. A far-right Catholic radio station, Radio Maryja, holds strong influence among its listeners; controlled by Father

Tadeusz Rydzyk, the station promotes xenophobia and anti-Semitism.8 Though its audience comprises only 2% of all radio listeners, the station’s ideology aligns closely with the values of PiS.9 Father Rydzyk used his influence to help elect PiS in 2015 and is thought to carry significant political power.10 In fact, PiS party leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski has stated that the party would not have won October’s parliamentary elections without Radio Maryja.11

After their stunning electoral performance—winning over 37% of the votes—PiS launched a hostile takeover of government institutions that the EU cannot control.12 Within the first two weeks of taking power, PiS replaced the heads of the security and intelligence services with its own people.13 Following scandals regarding the Constitutional Tribunal, in which PiS unconstitutionally annulled the appointments of five constitutional judges to put in PiS allies, Poland has been turning its back to the EU powers.14 Though NATO leaders have finally responded to Poland’s requests and agreed to deploy military forces to the Baltic states and Eastern Poland, NATO’s willingness to open dialogue with Russia, combined with these radically uncertain domestic conditions, have led to increasing anxiety among the

Polish people about the future of their country.15

8 http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21684826-attack-judicial-independence-reveals-governments- ideology-courting-disaster 9 Ibid. 10 https://www.ft.com/content/4344ca44-0b94-11e6-9cd4-2be898308be3 11 http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21684826-attack-judicial-independence-reveals-governments- ideology-courting-disaster. 12 http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21679494-two-weeks-polands-new-government-making-europe- nervous-return-awkward-squad 13 Ibid. 14 Ibid. 15 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nato-summit-idUSKCN0ZN2NL

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Topic A: Judicial System Scandal and the EU

Following eight years in power, the Civil Platform (PO) political party is now in the opposition as Law and Justice (PiS) holds the majority in the (the lower house of the

Polish parliament). This majority allows PiS to govern alone without having to make compromises with a coalition party, a strong position that has not existed in any of Poland’s past 26 years of democracy.16 The new government was quick to display of their new power; during the first days of her tenure, Beata Szydlo, the Prime Minister has appointed Mariusz

Kaminski, former head of Poland’s Central Anti-Corruption Bureau, as the new chief of secret security services.17 This caused controversy as he was previously sentenced to 3 years in prison, following charges of abuse of office.18 In a move that has been deemed illegal, the president granted him a immediately after the incident.19 The new Minister of

Defense, , has been installed in office despite Szydlo claiming she would not do so during her campaign.20 He is known for spreading conspiracy theories regarding a plane crash that caused the tragic deaths of Polish president Lech Kaczynski in the Russian city of Smolensk in 2010.21

The former president’s twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, is founder of the PiS party and wields significant power now that his party is in the majority; though he is not president

16 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/27/poland-law-justice-party-wins-235-seats-can-govern- alone 17 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/polands-disturbing-tilt-to-the-right/2015/11/29/480341e0- 952a-11e5-8aa0-5d0946560a97_story.html?utm_term=.59d52ecfdb3d 18 http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-poland-president-pardon-idUKKCN0T62H620151117 19 http://www.dw.com/en/a-silent-coup-in-poland/a-18877537 20 http://www.politico.eu/article/poland-government-kaczynski-szydlo/ 21 Ibid.

6 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016 or prime minister, he was the one who selected and Beata Szydło, respectively, for these positions.22 Kaczynski received little public support after he was prime minister from 2006 to 2007, which ended in a series of corruption allegations within his coalition.23 However, since then, he has allied himself with the Catholic nationalist right wing, strengthened support for PiS, and consolidated loyalty within the party, leading some to consider him Poland’s most powerful politician now.24

Current Situation

The main crisis occurred shortly following the swearing in of Duda. In its last days in office, PO appointed three judges to fill three vacancies on the Constitutional Tribunal – the highest legal body in Poland, responsible for upholding the constitution.25 However, the outgoing party also attempted to appoint two additional replacements for two judges set to retire in December 2015, by which point the PiS government would have begun its term.26

As the PiS government transitioned into power with a majority in the whole house, Duda refused to swear in any of the five PO-appointed judges, appointing five different PiS-allied judges instead.27 Three of the PiS nominees were then sworn in by the president but not accepted by the tribunal, since the tribunal deemed Duda’s actions unconstitutional and put its support behind three of the five PO appointees.28 What followed was a harsh response from what has been called a “dictatorial democracy” – a new law has been put into place which greatly hinders the court. The quorum of the 15-member court is now 13 judges and

22 Ibid. 23 Ibid. 24 Ibid. 25 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/poland/2016-08-25/polands-constitutional-crisis 26 Ibid. 27 Ibid. 28 Ibid.

7 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016 rulings must be made by a two-thirds majority rather than just half.29 In addition, all cases, regardless of their significance, will now be dealt with in chronological order and the

President and Minister of Justice have been granted the ability to file applications for disciplinary proceedings against tribunal judges.30

The Constitutional Tribunal, which is responsible for reviewing new laws, has deemed the amendment unconstitutional.31 The Venice Commission has also stated that the amendment puts the rule of rule of law, as well as democracy and human rights in danger.32

However, the warnings from the European Commission have gone ignored as anti-EU sentiment sweeps across Poland. Jaroslaw Kaczynski has recently met with the Hungarian president before to discuss how Hungary’s takeover of the media and distancing from the

EU occurred, pledging to radically reform the EU together through a “cultural counter- revolution.”33 Hungarian President Orban, who the Polish government seems to be mimicking, ordered the building of a barrier to keep illegal immigrants out in 2015 and has been exhibiting excessive influence in Hungarian media to spread his ideas of

Euroscepticism.34

The new government’s arms have been reaching out further too as it aims to take control of state media in what it calls the “Program for the Renewal of the Republic.”35 The culture minister, Piotr Glinski has been attempting to expel foreign shareholders in Polish television networks as well as issuing threats to current directors.36 Now people are taking to

29 http://www.politico.eu/article/poland-rebuked-for-crippling-constitutional-court-pis-kaczynski/ 30 http://verfassungsblog.de/the-power-of-the-rule-of-law-the-polish-constitutional-tribunals-forceful- reaction/; http://www.politico.eu/article/polish-government-vs-judiciary-round-2/ 31 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/poland/2016-08-25/polands-constitutional-crisis. 32 http://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2016)001-e 33 https://www.ft.com/content/e825f7f4-74a3-11e6-bf48-b372cdb1043a 34 https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/hungary/2015-02-08/hungarian-putin 35 http://www.dw.com/en/a-silent-coup-in-poland/a-18877537 36 https://www.ft.com/content/729e39d0-ae31-11e5-993b-c425a3d2b65a.

8 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016 the streets to protest against a government which can take control of state television and radio broadcasters as they fear the return of the authoritarian state from the pre-1989 communist era.37 Kaczynski has been appointing close allies as heads of broadcasting organizations, giving himself free reign over what is shown, worrying the West.38

Even private broadcasting firms have been criticized of being “in German hands” by

PiS ministers, putting their future in uncertain hands. Father Rydzyk of Radio Maryja has found a significant following in his religious broadcast and has expanded his empire to capture the hearts of many, predominantly the older, rural population.39 He has allied with

PiS in promoting their campaign through his media, giving him significant power in the government and with his listeners.40

PiS won support through mixing religious, far-right policies with moderate, or even progressive, economic ideas – they promised higher taxes on banks and paying a 500 zlotys

(around $125) stipend each month to families with at least 2 children, as well as offering new retirement plans.41 It was allowed to push changes through the Sejm easily due to their majority, however this convenience has also led to the aforementioned array of constitutional crises and rule of law scandals during the PiS government’s rule thus far.42 The

Polish people voted in PiS after a long rule of PO and unanswered demands for change, but it just so happens that the change is coming in the form of the return of the authoritarian rule Poland was so happy to abolish in 1989.

37 http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35272542. 38 https://news.vice.com/article/polands-right-wing-government-scares-europe-by-going-after-the-media 39 http://www.economist.com/news/europe/21684826-attack-judicial-independence-reveals-governments- ideology-courting-disaster 40 https://www.wprost.pl/kraj/156141/Radio-Maryja-poprze-PiS-w-wyborach-do-PE.html 41 http://af.reuters.com/article/idAFL8N19D1JJ 42 https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/rule-no-1-for-polands-new-right-wing-government- ignore-the-critics/2016/02/14/d3e5124a-c9bb-11e5-b9ab-26591104bb19_story.html

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Relations with the EU

The EU has been much more worried about Poland’s Euroscepticism than that of

Hungary – Poland is a much bigger economy and has served as the model of a successful post-communist modernization for decades.43 However, the EU is limited in their options as their purview ends at taking away Poland’s voting powers in the . The

United States has also been worried about the recent events in Poland, going as far as issuing a formal letter to Prime Minister Szydlo.44

It is up to you to determine how to run the country now. The Western world is looking onto Poland with concern and anger as it spirals into a new era of nationalism. With

Hungary as its only outspoken supporter, Poland is turning its back to the EU, despite the

EU’s past aid in the country’s development. The EU modernized and expanded Poland’s infrastructure, allowed it to enter the Western cultural and economic world by joining the common EU market, provided the nation more international prestige, allowed its people to travel freely throughout Europe, funded many public projects, and even provided special assistance in rural areas.

Benefits of EU money and influence are palpable throughout all of Poland. For the

2014-2020 period, the EU has earmarked EUR 85.2 billion for implementing the EU’s

“Cohesion Policy,” intended to improve the economic well-being of member states as well as to avoid regional disputes/disparities.45 In particular, the EU will seek in the next 4 years

43 http://www.politico.eu/article/pis-commission-human-rights-warsaw-europe-struggles-to-solve-its-poland- problem/ 44 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-usa-idUSKCN0VN0ZG. 45 http://www.roedl.com/pl/en/services/state_aid_advice/eu_funds_in_poland_20142020.html

10 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016 to bolster the automotive, electronics, IT, outsourcing, and food & beverage industries within the nation. Individual operational programs also include EUR 27.4 billion for infrastructure and environmental improvements, and a whopping EUR 31.2 billion for

“regional operating programs,” which seek to “[popularize] information and telecommunications technologies, research, technological development and innovation, infrastructure, environmental protection as well as energy and transport” on a regional basis in underserved areas of the nation.46 Indeed, delegates will need to consider the benefits as well as the pitfalls of a close relationship with the EU; if the nation distances itself more from the West, such sources of funding could be severely curtailed, halting a myriad of developmental programs within the nation to bolster all sectors

46 Ibid.

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.

Regional EU Aid Map of Poland for 2014-2020.47

If the situation continues to escalate, more people will take to the streets in protest, leading to further unrest. At the same time, policymakers should also consider the underlying factors that allowed PiS to take power in the first place; in part, the party’s success draws from voters’ previous disenchantment with the PO-led government.48 Inaction will strain relations with the world and with so much power at stake, turning back is difficult. The

Polish people will follow what they believe in, and given recent spurts in nationalism, perhaps they want more autonomy from the firm grip of the West.

47 Ibid. 48 http://www.politico.eu/article/poland-democracy-failing-pis-law-and-justice-media-rule-of-law/.

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Questions to Consider

 Was the amendment restricting the Constitutional Tribunal unconstitutional?

 How should religion be incorporated into Polish politics?

 How should the government regulate and control the media, if at all?

 What should be the role of the EU in determining Polish laws?

 Does PiS hold too much power relative to what is constitutionally allotted?

Topic B: National Defense

Poland’s position within Europe has placed it at the center of numerous conflicts throughout history. The nation has gone to war with , , and Russia countless times – now its Eastern neighbor, namely Russia, is the major cause for concern. Recent

Russian incursions into have revived fears of an invasion from the east, increasing pressure on NATO and the EU to provide capable defense systems.

Due to a variety of factors, Poland, along with the Baltic States, has long been more security-oriented than the majority of the EU. Poland’s geography is rather precarious – it sits between the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad (one of the most militarized regions in the world) and , where Russia has recently annexed Crimea. Kaliningrad serves as a base which enables the rapid deployment of Russian troops into the Baltic States and Poland. In addition, the long Polish border with Ukraine is now deemed insecure as Russia has moved into Crimea; a coordinated attack from Kaliningrad and Ukraine could cut off a good part of

Poland, including Warsaw, from its western allies. As Poland fortifies its defenses, Russia has increasingly responded by expanding its combat capability, escalating tensions.

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Current Situation

With Poland still recovering from the post-WWII Communist Era, its citizens still maintain a strong mistrust of the Russian people, with 81% of the population expressing an unfavorable view of Russia in a 2014 Pew Research Center survey.49 The military elite also shares in the strong anti-communist sentiment, which often translates into anti-Russian sentiment as well.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unpredictable behavior and frequent threats to cut off the gas supply do little to ease the tensions. Since establishing its democratic government in

1989, Poland was quick to join NATO in 1999 and the EU in 2004. Despite their enthusiasm to join the EU, Poles are skeptical of their ability to wage a war against Russia by themselves, relying on the US to bolster their defenses.50 The EU is often criticized for putting Eastern European security on the backburner as it focuses on other issues, making the Polish people lose faith in their dedication to ensuring Poland’s safety.51 Poland was involved in NATO exercises and sent troops in full support of the US’s war in Iraq even before fully joining NATO.52 It has since been shying away from EU security system and instead focusing on NATO based alternatives.53

Poland and Lithuania tried appealing to the EU in an attempt to stabilize and modernize their Eastern neighbors, such as Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova; unfortunately, the discussions failed to get traction. This resulted in further instability in

Eastern Europe and perhaps eased the path for Russia to invade the Republic of Georgia in

49 http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2015/03/19/anti-russian-views-on-the-rise-in-poland/ 50 http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/03/world/europe/eastern-europe-us-military.html?_r=0. 51 http://www.euractiv.com/section/central-europe/news/polands-duda-slams-eus-lack-of-solidarity-with- eastern-europe/. 52 http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB105233629065309800. 53 Ibid.

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2008. However, as major crises unfolded across Eastern Europe, the West began paying more attention to its security interests in the region.

In 2007, violent riots broke out in Estonia as native Russians protested the movement of a statue known as the Bronze Soldier, meant to honor the Red Army soldiers who died fighting during WWII, into the Defense Forces cemetery from its original location in the city center.54 This escalated into cyber-attacks on Estonian private e- services such as government websites and popular news websites.55 Following this, the

Estonians became host of the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Center of Excellence.56

Such demonstrations of Russia’s extensive cyberwar capabilities have further contributed to security concerns in Poland.

The Russia-Georgia War of 2008 renewed Western interest in Eastern Europe. Some of Poland’s calls for more extensive security were answered as it signed a missile defense agreement with the US and Barack Obama promised more involvement in the area.57

However, soon after, the missile defense agreement fell apart and Poland settled on a small

US military deployment in its territory and few further developments were seen.58 This prompted more security proposals from Poland, while the West once again declined, citing the US and EU’s attempts at improving diplomatic relations with Russia. The requests for permanent NATO deployments in Poland, reinforced air patrol missions, and participation in NATO military exercises continue to go unanswered.

54 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/apr/29/russia.lukeharding. 55 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/may/17/topstories3.russia 56 http://www.nato.int/docu/update/2008/05-may/e0514a.html. 57 http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/15/world/europe/15poland.html. 58 http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/obama-scraps-bush-missile-defense-plan/story?id=8604357.

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Right now, the Kaliningrad enclave is home to thousands of Russian troops, including tanks, armored vehicles, artillery, and rocket systems.59 Though traditionally thought to be outdated, the Russian military showcased its capability in its fight against ISIS in Syria. The Russians seemingly treated the war as a military exercise to show off their power, killing two thousand civilians in the process.60 In addition, the war revealed that the

Russian military was far more advanced than other nations originally thought; they managed to shift hundreds of aircraft in hours and set up fully operational airfields in record time.61 In addition, it brought into service a range of new weaponry ranging from fighter jets to bombers to guided cruise missiles.62 Towards the end of the operations, the Russians were conducting more than 10 times as many bombings as NATO.63 The extensive use of Russian arms has prompted an increase in demand for their weaponry as Russian weapon exports soared following the intervention in Syria.64

With Jaroslaw Kaczynski still skeptical about the cause of death of this twin brother and the defense minister seeking to launch new investigations into the matter, tensions with

Russia are sure to rise. Poland is home to moderate-strength armed forces; in 2015, it responded to Russian action in Ukraine with an 18% increase in defense budget spending, a jump that was almost unprecedented in any European country since the Cold War.65

However many of its military systems are outdated or mismanaged.66 The Vice Minister of

59 http://www.rferl.org/content/kaliningrad-russia-nato-west-strategic/27079655.html 60 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/15/russian-airstrikes-in-syria-killed-2000-civilians-in-six- months 61 http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-seven-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-dramatic-surge-in-intensity/ 62http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/2010228/1035491516/syria-russia-new-weapons.html 63 http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/23/russia-is-launching-twice-as-many-airstrikes-as-the-u-s- in-syria.html 64 http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/04/syria-war-showroom-russian-arms-sales-160406135130398.html 65 http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/poland/11641852/Poland-increases-military- spending-in-response-to--belligerence.html. 66 http://natemat.pl/94183,jak-silne-jest-polskie-wojsko-sprawdzamy-jak-dokladnie-wyglada-stan-naszej-armii- zmiesci-sie-na-stadionie

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National Defense, Romuald Szeremietiew, has claimed that the Polish military forces could

“fit in a stadium” and would be able to defend Poland not for days, but hours.67 This puts

Poland in a dangerous situation, with increasing domestic thirst for war in Russia and reluctant allies in NATO and the EU who are unwilling to provide significant support.

However, Poland may try to strengthen ties with NATO or invite stronger EU involvement.

Alternatively, working directly with Russia to prevent any possible attacks is another option.

It is known, however, that Poland’s allies in the west would be much more willing to listen were another crisis to occur in Eastern Europe.

NATO and the United States

Poland has long looked to the US as its most reliable ally. Following Europe’s dismissal of the Russian threat and historical letdowns such as the “betrayal by the West” of 1939 as

France and Britain hesitated before mounting serious offensives against Germany, Poland remains skeptical of their promises for protection. Poland has long sought the approval of the US – it has participated in US–led military coalitions over the last 15 years, and even houses some CIA prisons.68 Poland is eager to support US military initiatives based on the idea that the US will stand by its side in the event of a Russian attack.

While the EU tends to rely more on diplomatic and political solutions, NATO offers a more militaristic approach – Poland is a strong advocate of the latter option.69 Poland has repeatedly requested for more military bases and troops to be stationed within its borders, particularly American units; however, many of these calls have had little effect as the West is

67 http://www.newsweek.pl/polska/armia-zmiesci-sie-na-stadionie,81676,1,1.html 68 http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2875.htm. 69 https://us.boell.org/2016/07/06/nato-summit-warsaw-polish-perspective

17 Polish National Cabinet PMUNC 2016 wary to increase tensions with Russia. Poland still sees itself as a second-class NATO member state and was even willing to accept British demands to limit the rights of EU migrants in exchange for military assistance.70 Poland is desperate to become a fully Western country and gain international recognition, and having NATO troops stationed along the borders, ensuring its safety, is seen as the best way to show this. Poland demands a permanent NATO presence to deter its Russian neighbor from carrying out any operations in the area.71

Following the NATO summit in Poland, four “strong and multinational” battalions were agreed to be placed in Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia – Poland will be stationing the American soldiers.72 The summit also concluded to increase operations in cyberspace as Russian cyber-attacks are on the rise.73 However NATO interests are divided and attention was still focused on other issues including ISIS and , meaning

Poland did not quite get the spotlight it wanted.74

With potential enemies to the east and uncertain allies to the west, Poland once again finds itself at the mercy of more powerful forces. It can hope to work with powerful alliances and picks its friends carefully. To ensure its safety, it must work out new deals and try to mitigate tensions with Russia.

Questions to Consider

70 http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-eu-poland-idUSKBN0UH0IE20160103 71 http://neweasterneurope.eu/articles-and-commentary/1882-why-a-nato-presence-is-so-important-for- poland 72 http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/p/msz_en/news/nato_summit_decides_to_strengthen_presence_on_alliance_s_e astern_flank 73 Ibid. 74 http://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/szczyt-nato-najwazniejsze-decyzje/rn2jbf

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 Should Poland rely entirely on NATO for its defenses or invest more into its relationship with the EU?  How can Poland get its allies to take the Russian threat more seriously and bolster defenses in the East?  How can tensions with Russia be mitigated and Polish reliance on their natural gas minimized?  How can Poland’s reliance on foreign military powers to defend its borders be decreased?

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Positions

Andrzej Duda – This position will be held by the chair of the committee. Duda has been president since PiS won the election in 2015. In his presidency, he has rejected the EU’s proposal of compulsory migrant quotas. Has also carried out illegal pardon moves to obtain his new cabinet. Thought to be a puppet of Jaroslaw Kaczynski.75

Grzegorz Schetyna – PO Leader Leading the PO party since early 2016, Schetyna was previously the Minister of Foreign Affairs in 2014-2015. A long-time business leader in Poland, Schetyna co-founded the large radio broadcaster Radio Eska among other ventures. He also followed the European Court of Human Rights’ ruling that Poland should pay damages to victims of the United States’ rendition program in Poland, and led the charge for reparations for victims.76

Ryszard Petru – Leader of Nowoczesna Party Trained as an economist, he started his career in academia and in 2001-2004 became the economist for Poland and Hungary in the World Bank. Following this he held a number of government posts, such as the marshal of the Dolny Slask province. In 2015 he founded the liberal Nowoczesna party. In 2015, the same year they were founded, they won 7.6% of the vote, meaning they could prove a useful ally for PO in future election.77

Donald Tusk – President of Following his stint as in 2007-2014 and chairman of PO, Tusk became President of the European council in 2014. As President he has worked on a unified response to Russia’s military actions in Ukraine.78

75 http://www.newsweek.pl/polska/andrzej-duda-czy-jest-zalezny-od-kaczynskiego- sondaz,artykuly,395166,1.html 76 https://www.ft.com/content/9ff5cce0-b76a-11e4-981d-00144feab7de 77 http://parlament2015.pkw.gov.pl/349_Wyniki_Sejm 78 http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/european-council/president/biography/

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Beata Szydlo – Prime Minister Also vice-chairman of PiS, she has defied expectations in selecting her cabinet as she went against her previous promises, choosing Antoni Macierewicz, despite his controversial views on the plane crash that killed Poland’s last president, Lech Kaczynski.79

Jaroslaw Kaczynski – PiS Leader Co-founder of PiS and the twin brother of President Lech Kaczynski, who died in the plane crash in Smolensk in 2010. He is said to be the most powerful politician in Poland.80

Jacek Najder – Permanent Representative of Poland in NATO Previously worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including work on diplomatic missions to South Korea and Pakistan. He is currently responsible for representing Poland within the North Atlantic Council, and aligning Poland’s military strategy with that of NATO.81

Antoni Macierewicz – Minister of Defense Known for his tough stance on Russia, along with Jaroslaw Kaczynski.82 Believes in conspiracy theories concerning the plane crash which killed the previous president, Lech Kaczynski. In 2007 he also became a columnist for Radio Maryja. In 2012 he joined PiS.83

Zbigniew Ziobro – Minister of Justice Prosecutor General in 2005-2007 and 2016-present. He is a member of the Solidarity party formed during communist times. Known for his hate of corruption and his will to do anything to get to the truth, he is a popular figure in Polish politics84

79 http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/who_is_who_127129.htm?selectedLocale=en 80 http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/02/07/465926224/a-tale-of-twin-brothers-polands- mourned-leader-and-lonely-mastermind 81 http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/who_is_who_82245.htm?selectedLocale=en 82 http://www.dw.com/en/a-silent-coup-in-poland/a-18877537 83 http://en.mon.gov.pl/ministry/leaders/minister-of-national-defence-antoni-macierewicz/ 84 https://www.premier.gov.pl/ludzie/zbigniew-ziobro.html

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Tadeusz Rydzyk – Director of Radio Maryja and TV Trwam The Roman catholic priest founded Radio Maryja in 1991 in the city of Torun. His money- making scheme has been questioned before as he starts more enterprises including a newspaper and professional school.85

Pawel Szalamacha – Minister of Finance With no party affiliation, the Harvard educated minister has been in his current job since 2015. He wants to keep public crises to a minimum to maintain Poland’s credit rating, recently downgraded to BBB+ following the constitutional crisis. He is having a hard time managing the overblown social programs with pressures to increase military spending.86

Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz – Polish Ambassador to Russian Federation Appointed in 2014, she has been working in strengthening relations between Poland and Russia, trying to minimize any chances of a fallout in bilateral relations.87

Ryszard Schnepf – Polish Ambassador to the United States Also the ambassador to Uruguay, Paraguay Costa Rica, Spain, Andora, and the Bahamas. Previously dismissed from his post as Secretary of State following proposing deals concerning the Nord-Stream gas line without consulting the prime minister. He was taken back into the Ministry of Foreign affairs in 2007 under .88

Jaroslaw Czubinski – Polish Ambassador to Lithuania With his career spanning over 30 years, this ambassador has a number of connections within the Polish and Lithuanian government he can count on.89

Zygmunt Solorz-Zak – Richest person in Poland

85 http://inside-poland.com/t/personalities-in-poland-father-tadeusz-rydzyk/ 86 http://www.mf.gov.pl/en/ministry-of-finance/ministry/management/ 87 http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/news/poland_s_new_ambassadors_to_russia_and_un;jsessionid=2C696D6B1D9 70585D58F4F3CCA9506EE.cmsap1p 88 http://www.washdiplomat.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10153&Itemid=176 89 http://www.wilno.msz.gov.pl/pl/o_ambasadzie/ambasador/

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Owner of many enterprises in media, telecommunications and finance, Solorz-Zak owns one of Poland’s biggest TV stations – Polsat – among other business interests. Solorz-Zak can rely on an extensive network within Poland’s business community as well as abroad to access funds & exercise considerable influence.90

Witold Waszczykowski - Minister of Foreign Affairs Served as Poland's permanent NATO representative in the 1990's and then the deputy director of the Department of Africa and the Middle East. Also held post of Ambassador to Iran in 2002. In 2008, he served as deputy head of the National Security Bureau - he has managed to maintain some connections there. He is responsible for maintaining and building Polish relations with other countries as well as allocation some of the national budget.91

90 http://www.forbes.com/profile/zygmunt-solorz-zak/ 91 http://www.msz.gov.pl/en/ministry/minister/minister_witold_waszczykowski

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