Poland will never accept a “business as usual” approach with Russia, including the use of Russian raw materials and Russian gas, Finance and Economy Minister Andrzej Domański said at the 4th Polish-German Economic Forum.
The 4th Polish-German Economic Forum, organized by the Polish Investment and Trade Agency, is taking place in Warsaw on Monday.
Opening the event, Domański noted that this year marks the 35th anniversary of the Treaty on Good Neighborship and Friendly Cooperation, signed by Poland and Germany in 1991.
“We are meeting at an exceptional moment. The world is changing faster than ever, and we face new geopolitical, strategic and technological challenges. Europe must be ready to meet those challenges,” Domański said.
In his view, that will be possible only with a strong European economy. For that reason, the minister argued, it is essential to look for new engines of economic growth.
“At the same time, we must get rid of something I call economic naivety. We must firmly commit to economic growth, to fighting unnecessary bureaucracy, to building competitive energy markets and to a responsible approach to technology,” Domański said.
He reiterated that we are living in exceptional times in which technology is accelerating, and that building it requires critical raw materials.
“Speaking here to our German friends, I would also like to say something very clearly. Europe must learn lessons from the past. Under no scenario is there a return to business as usual with Russia. Poland will never agree to that,” Domański said. He added that this concerns above all a return to the use of Russian raw materials, including Russian gas.
He argued that Europe must build competitive advantages, fight bureaucracy, introduce further deregulation packages and work toward a European energy market, while also keeping security in mind. (PAP)
