‘Hands off our EU’ say thousands of Poles as country-wide protests erupt
More than 100,000 people took to the streets as pro-EU demonstrations broke out across Poland amid fears of a “Polexit.”
Last week Poland’s highest court ruled that certain decisions by the EU’s Court of Justice have no jurisdiction in the country, sparking outrage from the bloc’s highest authorities and prompting concerns of a schism.
On Sunday, demonstrations took place across 100 cities and towns in Poland with over 100,000 protestors gathering in the capital city of Warsaw to show their support for European Union membership.
Protestors were seen waving EU flags and shouting “we are staying” in defiance of the court ruling which rejects a central principle of EU membership giving European Courts supremacy over national laws.
Donald Tusk, the former head of the European Council and now leader of Poland’s main opposition party Civic Platform, spoke at the gathering in Warsaw and called on demonstrators to “defend a European Poland.”
“We know why they want to leave … so that they can violate democratic rules with impunity,” Tusk continued, speaking in front of Warsaw’s Royal Castle, surrounded by crowds and police vans.
While Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) has denied claims that it has plans to exit the European Union key politicians have repeatedly criticised Brussels in recent months.
After last week’s court ruling, Poland’s Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, took to Facebook to defend the decision. “We have the same rights as other countries. We want these rights to be respected,” he wrote.
He added that “Poland’s place is and will be in the European family of nations”, as he tried to assuage fears of a “Polexit”.
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