Abolition of Visa Requirement Worth the Risk

Polish politicians agree that the government should turn to the European Commission for an intervention regarding the U.S. visa requirement. The only person who is hesitating is Radosław Sikorski.

There has been a better chance of seeking help from Brussels since the new European Union regulations came into force a few days ago. The regulations stipulate that unless the United States and Canada waive the visa requirements for Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Cyprus, as well as Croatia, within 90 days, the countries will be allowed to ask the EU to intervene.

Theoretically, the Commission would be entitled to impose a visa requirement, first, for American diplomats and then for all citizens of the United States.

Should the government resort to such a solution?

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a member of the European Parliament, has no doubts about it.

“Poland should take advantage of the new regulations and turn to the European Commission to urge Americans, or to negotiate with them, to waive the visa requirement. We have demanded that from Brussels for 10 years, and it would be an inconsistency if we did not seize this opportunity,” he says to Rzeczpospolita.

“Americans, intentionally or not, disregard something, that is, the European Union. They do not care about the Union, in which everyone is equal and can travel without any restrictions. They treat Poland, Cyprus, Croatia and the like as though they were a separate unit. This is the right time to tell Americans: You cannot ignore Brussels. You have to be shaken. However, should it not work, the residents of New Orleans, California or New York state will need a visa to enter Europe too,” he reckons.

The presidential palace also shares this opinion.

“We have requested that the Americans waive the visa requirement for many years. Since the European Union is eventually willing to take care of this matter, we cannot miss this opportunity. Otherwise, we will be inconsistent,” explains Prof. Roman Kuźniar, an adviser to the president of the Republic of Poland.

“The European Union may prove to be more successful in the negotiations with the United States, since it is more powerful than other countries. American laws for Poland are applied arbitrarily, not objectively. President Komorowski did say repeatedly that the visa requirement is unjustified, anachronistic, unfair and, more importantly, does not affect both countries positively,” emphasizes Kuźniar.

The opposition also has no doubts about the decisive action taken toward Americans.

“Minister Sikorski should turn to Brussels for support in this matter. We cannot pretend that nothing is happening and that everything is OK,” says Ryszard Czarnecki, a member of the European Parliament. “The approval of such treatment is unacceptable,” he adds.

Józef Oleksy, a Democratic Left Alliance vice president, also approves the idea of asking Brussels for an intervention.

“In addition to the treaty of alliance and a long-lasting friendship, the principle of reciprocity must be respected too,” stresses the former prime minister.

Nevertheless, the foreign minister, who is also skeptical about the U.S. visa requirement, is the one to make the final decision.

“The United States broke the agreement with Poland at the beginning of the ‘90s, while we were taking measures to waive the Polish visa requirement for Americans. We were supposed to be exempted from any visa charges. However, now, the situation is even worse. We have to pay for a visa application even if the application is declined,” complained Sikorski on TVP1 yesterday.

A decision on asking Brussels for help, which may eventually result in breaking off our good relations with the United States, has not been made yet. It is still unknown whether or not Poland would support Brussels in imposing some restrictions on the United States.

“If the European Commission decides to react, we will seriously consider where we stand on this matter. Obviously, we will strive for visa-free movement,” adds Sikorski.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains to Rzeczpospolita, “We do hope that President Obama will fulfill his promise that the visa requirement will have been waived by the end of his presidency.”