Poland: EU budget comes with caveats we cannot accept

A clause in the EU budget which ties funding with adherence to the rule of law in the bloc cannot be accepted, Poland’s deputy foreign minister has said.

The provisions in the budget are so vague and wide that they would allow for politically motivated financial sanctions against Poland, Hungary or any other member state, Pawel Jablonski explained.

“Poland and Hungary are being targeted for months now and we know very well that it would simply be used the very next day against us,” he said.

The EU budget includes a Covid-19 recovery fund of €750bn (£673bn; $888bn).

Poland and Hungary are being investigated by the EU for undermining the independence of courts, media and non-governmental organisations, and the clause threatens to cost them billions of euros in EU funding.

Watch the full BBC Hardtalk interview on Thursday 19 November 2020 on BBC World News or watch again on BBC iPlayer (UK only)