Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski decided on Wednesday to terminate missions of more than 50 ambassadors and to withdraw more than a dozen nominations submitted for approval by the ministry’s previous leadership, the Foreign Ministry reported.
As the ministry communicated on its website on Wednesday, the proposed changes were presented at the Foreign Service Council, and once they were approved by Prime Minister Donald Tusk, practical termination procedures were launched.
“The government, which bears constitutional responsibility for foreign policy, believes that the necessary replacement in the positions of Poland’s representatives abroad serves the purpose of better, professional implementation of the difficult challenges facing Polish foreign policy today,” the communiqué stressed.
The Foreign Ministry said it hoped “for consensual cooperation on this issue between the country's top authorities.”
RMF FM radio asked Sikorski whether Poland will now have charge d’affaires instead of ambassadors, the head of Polish diplomacy replied that “it happens in diplomacy, it happened in the past as well.”
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had decided together with Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to ask the president’s approval for changes to most embassies. He stipulated that he would not announce specific names at this time. "In any case, we are facing a very massive change in embassies," he said..
According to the Foreign Service Act, an ambassador is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic of Poland on the proposal of the minister responsible for foreign affairs, approved by the Prime Minister.
Presidential Palace responds
When asked about the issue during a visit to the U.S., President Duda said “No Polish ambassador can be appointed or recalled without the President’s signature.”
“Fundamental here is the decision, which is made by the President of the Republic of Poland,” Duda added.
“Ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president, so the communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is greatly exaggerated,” said presidential minister Małgorzata Paprocka on Wednesday.
In her opinion, one should “take a deep breath” and sit down at the table within the framework of the Foreign Service Council.
Paprocka told Polsat News that the communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is “to put it mildly, greatly exaggerated,” as ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president.
She pointed out that the constitution requires cooperation between the Council of Ministers and the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the president on foreign policy matters.
Referring to the journalist’s question of whether this is a “purge” in embassies, Paprocka replied, “The question is whether there are really reasons for it.”
“I understand PM Donald Tusk’s statement from yesterday, when he spoke about proposed changes in ambassadorial positions, but it’s not the case that cooperation, as understood constitutionally, is only when the president signs all the prime minister’s proposals. We need to sit down and talk. [...] I think we need to take a deep breath and sit down at the table within the framework of the convention,” said Paprocka.
“The government, which bears constitutional responsibility for foreign policy, believes that the necessary replacement in the positions of Poland’s representatives abroad serves the purpose of better, professional implementation of the difficult challenges facing Polish foreign policy today,” the communiqué stressed.
The Foreign Ministry said it hoped “for consensual cooperation on this issue between the country's top authorities.”
RMF FM radio asked Sikorski whether Poland will now have charge d’affaires instead of ambassadors, the head of Polish diplomacy replied that “it happens in diplomacy, it happened in the past as well.”
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said he had decided together with Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski to ask the president’s approval for changes to most embassies. He stipulated that he would not announce specific names at this time. "In any case, we are facing a very massive change in embassies," he said..
According to the Foreign Service Act, an ambassador is appointed and dismissed by the President of the Republic of Poland on the proposal of the minister responsible for foreign affairs, approved by the Prime Minister.
Presidential Palace responds
When asked about the issue during a visit to the U.S., President Duda said “No Polish ambassador can be appointed or recalled without the President’s signature.”
“Fundamental here is the decision, which is made by the President of the Republic of Poland,” Duda added.
“Ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president, so the communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is greatly exaggerated,” said presidential minister Małgorzata Paprocka on Wednesday.
In her opinion, one should “take a deep breath” and sit down at the table within the framework of the Foreign Service Council.
Paprocka told Polsat News that the communication from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is “to put it mildly, greatly exaggerated,” as ambassadors are appointed and dismissed by the president.
She pointed out that the constitution requires cooperation between the Council of Ministers and the Minister of Foreign Affairs with the president on foreign policy matters.
Referring to the journalist’s question of whether this is a “purge” in embassies, Paprocka replied, “The question is whether there are really reasons for it.”
“I understand PM Donald Tusk’s statement from yesterday, when he spoke about proposed changes in ambassadorial positions, but it’s not the case that cooperation, as understood constitutionally, is only when the president signs all the prime minister’s proposals. We need to sit down and talk. [...] I think we need to take a deep breath and sit down at the table within the framework of the convention,” said Paprocka.
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