Jan Rokita's commentary blocked by 'Sieci'; author ends 13-year collaboration

A commentary piece originally intended for the magazine "Sieci" was ultimately not published, leading to the author's departure after a 13-year relationship with the publication. The author, Jan Rokita, criticizes Przemysław Czarnek, a candidate for prime minister, for statements that Rokita deems detrimental to Poland's national interest and security.

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In the mouth of the former deputy prime minister, responsible for state security, this is perhaps the most serious political accusation that can be formulated at all.

Rokita highlights the gravity of Jarosław Kaczyński, the PiS party leader, accusing Czarnek of acting against "Poland's raison d'état and Polish security." He notes this is unprecedented, as Kaczyński himself promoted Czarnek for the premiership. Rokita views Czarnek's proposal for Europe to cease all funding for Ukraine's armaments and reconstruction as a radical departure from Polish political tradition.

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This casus will be noted in the textbooks of Polish political history of our time as an unusual event.

Czarnek's specific call to "force Europe to stop any funding" for Ukraine's defense is seen by Rokita as a deliberate move to abandon the nation to the Kremlin. Rokita points out Czarnek's omission of the United States' crucial role in supporting Ukraine, contrasting it with Donald Trump's recent pledge to Volodymyr Zelenskyy regarding Patriot missile technology. Rokita suggests Czarnek targets Europe because it is easier than confronting America.

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force Europe to stop any funding for armaments and reconstruction of Ukraine

The author questions the future of Czarnek within PiS, noting that party leadership will "clarify" the situation. However, Rokita asserts that Czarnek's views are clear and fundamentally oppose not only PiS's ideology but also the broader tradition of Polish political thought, both from the anti-Soviet emigration era and the Solidarity underground. This tradition, Rokita argues, consistently supported the independence of Baltic states, Belarusians, and Ukrainians, a stance that has been a cornerstone of Polish foreign policy.

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The postulation of liberation from Soviet domination of the Balts, Belarusians, and Ukrainians was essentially a consensus of Polish political thought of that time.