Rumours about Poland's commitment to Eurocorps
According to a spokesman at the Eurocorps headquarters, the Polish government wants to withdraw Poland's 120 soldiers from the European rapid deployment force next year. Media reports cite high costs and low military effectiveness as the reasons. Poland's Defence Ministry Macierewicz has denied the reports on Twitter. Whatever the case may be, Polish commentators take a dim view of such a move.
Poland shirking its responsibilities
The defence minister's plans are a stab in the back for Polish diplomacy as a whole, Rzeczpospolita criticises:
“This blatantly contradicts our diplomatic strategy. ... Rejecting more responsibility in the Eurocorps is a clear signal that Poland is not interested in cooperation among the EU's military forces. The impact this decision will have on Poland's image is disastrous. It conveys the impression that Poland just wants other states to support it on defence and in strengthening Nato's eastern flank. Yet it offers nothing in return and only wants to reduce its current obligations. The defence minister's decision is a blow for Poland's diplomacy, which is formulated by the president, the government, the foreign ministry and the prime minister.”
Government continues to divide Europe
Roman Graczyk takes the government to task in his blog with the portal Interia:
“Why is Poland now opposing the so-called two-speed Europe when it has long been doing all it can to bring about just such a community? That said, it is also not so relevant that Eurocorps is not all that significant militarily. ... Nevertheless it was deployed in Kosovo, and perhaps it will at one point also be deployed in the Middle East or North Africa. True, there is less likelihood of it's one day being stationed on the Ukrainian-Russian border. However our current Europe policy is making it ever more likely that such a deployment will never happen.”