Obama too harsh on Poland's government?
At the Nato summit in Warsaw US President Barack Obama spoke out critically on the conflict over Poland's Constitutional Tribunal. His words were then presented as praise for the government in a televised report by Polish public broadcaster TVP. The media discuss what he really said and whether he stepped out of line in expressing a view on the issue.
US president shouldn't meddle in Polish politics
No matter what Obama actually said, the US head of state has no business commenting on Poland's domestic affairs, Jacek Dziedzina writes in the Catholic news magazine Gość Niedzielny:
“His words were a clear swipe at the Polish president and the government. I heard the press conference given by both politicians in Warsaw's National Stadium. Like all the other journalists present, I felt the Americans were interfering in a domestic conflict. It makes no difference that someone wants to come along and explain exactly what he meant. ... You could go a step further and ask Obama whether he acts the same way with his friends in Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by one of the most oppressive regimes in the world.”
PiS chipping away at Poland's security
Obama's words show the extent to which the PiS government has steered Poland into the wings geopolitically, Newsweek Polska counters worriedly:
“This issue has made clear the destructive effect of the PiS's policy regarding Europe and the entire world. The nearer we Poles are to the West - politically, militarily and economically - the more secure we feel. And any factor that impedes this integration only weakens our security. Including the conflict over the Constitutional Tribunal which the PiS has allowed to escalate.”