Olivier Bault | Visegrád Post

Interview with Marion Maréchal, CEO of the Institute of Social, Economic and Political Sciences (ISSEP) in Lyon and a central figure among the French conservative right: “Collegium Intermarium and ISSEP wanted to create a small island of resistance, a sanctuary in which…

Politics

Polish Constitutional Tribunal defends democracy and rule of law against ECJ

Olivier Bault October 11, 2021

Poland – The 7 October ruling by the Polish Constitutional Court has caused a stir, especially among those who would like to pursue European integration bypassing the democratically ratified treaties, and disinformation was rife in the European media in the aftermath of…

Politics

Crisis in relations between Poland and Czech Republic after ECJ decision on Turów mine

Olivier Bault September 25, 2021

Poland/Czechia – Rather than fostering an agreement between Poland and the Czech Republic, the decision by the ECJ’s Spanish vice-president to impose a daily penalty payment of €500,000 on Warsaw until it closes its lignite mine in Turów, near the Czech border,…

Politics

PiS forced to back down on health restrictions to secure majority in the Sejm?

Olivier Bault September 21, 2021

Poland – On Wednesday 15 September, a demonstration took place near the Polish parliament. The Warsaw demonstration, called by Konfederacja (Confederation, an alliance of nationalists and libertarians), followed successful demonstrations in several provincial cities, including Katowice and Toruń, to protest in response…

Politics

Still unpopular among the public, Polexit is no longer a taboo for the Polish right

Olivier Bault September 11, 2021

Poland - Could Law and Justice (PiS), until now an unconditional supporter of EU membership, now be considering exiting the bloc? After the announcement of the European Commission’s request for a daily financial penalty to be imposed on Poland over its justice…

Politics

European Commission asks ECJ to impose financial penalties on Poland

Olivier Bault September 9, 2021

Poland – For Polish Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, the attitude of the European Commission, which is denying the Polish parliament the right to appoint the 15 judges who are to be members of the National Judicial Council (KRS), shows that “we are…

Politics

European Commission using recovery plan to bring Poland to heel

Olivier Bault September 6, 2021

Poland – Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the Economy and former Italian prime minister, caused turmoil and anger in Poland when he explained on 1 September that one of the reasons why the Commission has not yet approved the Polish recovery plan…

Politics

Does the Morawiecki government still have a majority in the Sejm?

Olivier Bault August 27, 2021

Poland – The question of whether Mateusz Morawiecki’s government still has a majority in the Sejm should be answered in the vote on the dismissal of the “marshal” (speaker) of the lower house of the Polish parliament. The largest opposition groups would…

Politics

Restitution of property: tempers flare between Israel and Poland

Olivier Bault August 23, 2021

Poland – Accusations of anti-Semitism by Israel’s foreign minister, after the Polish president ratified a law on the restitution of property unlawfully confiscated after World War II, have plunged Warsaw and Tel Aviv into a crisis unprecedented since the fall of communism…

Politics

Poland – Open warfare between president of supreme audit institution and Morawiecki government

Olivier Bault August 13, 2021

Poland – The conflict between the President of the Polish Supreme Audit Office (Najwyższa Izba Kontroli, NIK) – Poland’s highest audit institution – and the Morawiecki government continues to escalate, now with a request for a waiver of Marian Banaś’s immunity. “This…

Society

Polish academic sentenced in Germany for his work on homosexuality in the Church

Olivier Bault August 5, 2021

Poland/Germany – The conviction in Germany of Dariusz Oko, a Catholic priest, professor of humanities and lecturer at the Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow, has caused a stir in Poland. The story has even made it to the cover…

Politics

The Three Seas Initiative shows what Europe could be without the EU

Olivier Bault July 26, 2021

Central Europe – “America is eager to expand our partnership with you. We welcome stronger ties of trade and commerce as you grow your economies and we are committed to securing your access to alternate sources of energy so Poland and its…