20 years ago, on May 1st, 2004, Poland, along with Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovakia, and Slovenia, became member states of the European Union. Over the years, we have observed how this accession has strengthened both the member countries and the Union itself. It has facilitated the development of new infrastructure through various funds and investments. European citizens have benefited significantly from the freedom of movement of people, capital, services, and goods. These are just a few of the advantages of membership in this entity. Conversely, the European Union has been able to propagate its core values, such as democracy and human rights, on a broader scale, and become one of the world’s largest single markets.
On this auspicious occasion, in commemoration of one of the pivotal moments in Poland’s history, the Institute of the New Europe has recognized an opportunity to gain deeper insight into the perspectives and reflections of other member states regarding the significant contributions Poland has made to the Union over the past two decades, as well as how Poland’s membership has influenced the Union’s directions and policies, including those related to regional security, human rights, and the economy. We believe that acquainting ourselves with the viewpoints of fellow member states could significantly enhance our understanding of Poland’s position within the European Union and its broader implications.
The Institute was privileged to receive the reflections and opinions of the Ambassador of Latvia in Poland. We are grateful for their generosity in sharing their invaluable insights with us, and we are committed to leveraging this knowledge to gain a deeper understanding of our role within the European Union and to use and promote this knowledge in the Institute’s endeavours.
Below, we present the content of the responses provided by the Ambassador. We eagerly anticipate further opportunities to engage with such esteemed representatives to glean additional insights on this matter.
Reflections on Poland’s presence in the European Union by Ambassador Juris Poikāns
Poland and Latvia are both tied by similar historical heritage, geographical localization, and, resulting from this, interests in international politics and security. Both countries experienced some form of Russian occupation at some point in their histories, and that’s why Latvia appreciates Poland’s input in building awareness in the European Union about Russia and its aggressive policies. The legendary speech by President Kaczyński in Tbilisi during the Russian-Georgian War of 2008 was a sign of upcoming events and should be listened to more carefully in other European capitals.
Latvia understands the upcoming challenges in terms of EU integration and enlargement. We will have to discuss our further steps. Do we want to deepen integration within the EU and making the EU stronger globally and allow the EU to enlarge? Or do we want to preserve the sovereignty of the member states and make the EU a looser union? This topic is becoming one of the main topics of public discussion in the EU member states. Both Poland and Latvia will face these discussions among their societies, and they will have to make hard decisions in this aspect.
Poland and Latvia are closely coordinating in the European Union. Our mutual interests make us natural allies in many aspects, e.g., security policy or enlargement. Poland is a natural platform for Latvia and other Baltic states interests because it is a bigger and stronger nation whose voice can be heard better in European institutions.
Latvia respects Polish ambitions for transforming the Baltic region. During the Cold War, Poland was at some point “more independent” than Latvia, which was under direct occupation of the Soviet Union. This allowed Poland to create diplomatic connections all around the world, e.g., in Africa or the Middle East. Poland has also had a had a bigger impact on shaping European policies, but looking at common interests, it creates a field of cooperation between these two countries. Latvia supports Polish efforts in creating new European policies.
“Poland’s presence in European Union is the best geopolitical project that we ever had”-Ambassador Juris Poikāns.
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