Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk promised “energetic engagement” as he took over the rotating presidency of the European Union on Friday and said the 27-country bloc was facing one of its most difficult moments.
Poland, Europe’s sixth most populous country and a powerhouse of the central and east European economy, says it wants to strengthen the single market, press ahead with EU enlargement and deal openly with issues such as migration during its six-month presidency, its first since joining the EU in 2004.
Speaking to the foreign press as he prepared to take the reins, Tusk conceded the EU, and particularly the euro zone, faced challenges in tackling the debt crisis that has struck Greece, Ireland and Portugal.
“I’m not going to say these are the most difficult months in the EU so far, but they are definitely some of the more difficult and complicated ones,” he said, adding that his aim was to be active and energetic in engaging with his partners.
“Poles don’t want politicians who engage in rows with Europe.
They want politicians who know how to operate in Europe, who can engage with Europe on a business level and who operate professionally. That’s my ambition,” he said.
As well as finalising Croatia’s EU accession, Poland wants to start membership talks with Serbia and clinch a trade deal with Ukraine, and promote deeper energy and military cooperation within the bloc.
