The Heinrich-Böll-Foundation - Warsaw office and the Warsaw Office of the European Council on Foreign Relations kindly invite you to the public debate:
Assessment of the Polish-German ‘Ostpolitik’
Monday, 5 November 2012, 10.30 -13.00
Jerzy Turowicz Conference Room, Sapieżyńska 10 a, Warsaw
Since the political turn of 2007 in Warsaw, Poland and Germany have been constantly tightening bonds on international issues, Warsaw’s aspiration to join the Eurozone or common support for the Eastern Partnership. Poland’s experience and local expertise was to complement Berlin’s political and economic strategies. The success of such a coordinated policy can be seen in better relations with Russia, “the Kaliningrad Triangle” and the introduction of visa-free travel to Kaliningrad, which Poland had been advocating for for a long time.
Regarding the Eastern Partnership, however, Polish-German achievements are so far disappointing. Despite common efforts, policy towards Belarus proved unsuccessful, and in Ukraine first attempts to reconcile Orange movements failed and then attempts to influence the politics of the new president were unsuccessful.
A clear split concerning a possible boycott of the Euro2012 championship showed the ineffectiveness of bilateral consultations.
Poland withdrew from its activities in the Caucasus, while success of Moldova is attributable to internal policies.
Lack of consultations related to the conflict between Poland and Lithuania is detrimental both to the EU and NATO. Poland’s leadership in the W4-Group has not advanced Eastern cooperation between Poland and Germany.
What remains of the joint “Ostpolitik”? Will Germany’s fading trust in the region’s stability be enough to produce a new beginning?
Invited guest speakers:
Joachim Bleicker – Deputy Ambassador of Germany in Poland
Jarosław Bratkiewicz – Political Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Poland
Jana Kobzova – Wider Europe Program Coordinator, Policy Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations
Paweł Kowal – MEP, Poland Comes First (ECRG), Chair, Delegation to the EU-Ukraine Parliamentary Cooperation Committee
Anna Kwiatkowska-Drożdż – Germany expert, Centre for Eastern Studies, Poland
Vitaliy Portnikov – journalist, commentator, political scientist, Ukraine
Rainder Steenblock – President of the European Integration Strategy Association, former Member of the German Bundestag, Alliance ‘90/The Greens, Germany
After the event, we invite you to join us for lunch.
Discussion will be held in Polish and English with simultaneous interpreting.