He doubted the imminent entry into the EU

European integration There are two years left before Poland joins the EU and, accordingly, before a decision is made on the fate of the Kaliningrad region. However, as it turns out, the Kaliningrad problem may disappear on its own. As the speaker of the Polish parliament, Marek Borowski, said in London at a briefing for Russian and Polish media, Poland’s accession to the EU is by no means a settled issue.
Mr. Marek Borowski's current visit to London is dedicated to the country's preparation for joining the European Union: although formally the Polish speaker came at the invitation of the head of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, the central point of his program was negotiations with the deputy head of the British Foreign Office in charge of relations with the EU Peter Hain.
Lancaster House, a luxurious 18th-century building directly opposite Buckingham Palace, owned by the British Foreign Office, was chosen as the meeting place for the Speaker of the Polish Sejm, Marek Borowski, with journalists. The speaker looked pleased: he clearly did not expect such a reception.
The Kommersant correspondent's first question addressed to Mr. Borovsky concerned what to do with Kaliningrad after Poland joins the EU. “We must reject all radical proposals, including those expressed in the Russian Duma. I urge my colleagues in Moscow not to turn this problem into a matter of national pride,” said the Polish speaker.
In his opinion, “the need to obtain a visa for Kaliningrad residents will appear one way or another.” However, this can minimize inconvenience, “after all, there are multiple-entry, long-term visas issued right at the border.” After thinking a little, the speaker added that “the long-term development of Russian-Polish relations should in the future lead to the creation of a visa-free regime.”
When asked by a Kommersant correspondent about the chances of a positive outcome of the referendum on Poland's accession to the European Union, Mr. Borovsky answered somewhat unexpectedly: the issue of Poland's accession to the EU, on which the fate of the Kaliningrad region depends, is far from resolved. “If the current conditions of the European Union do not change, this will be unacceptable for us. Then there will be no referendum,” the speaker noted. And, seeing the slightly frightened faces of the Polish diplomats sitting in the corner, he hastened to clarify: “Judging by my meetings with Western politicians, there are opportunities for compromise. And if a compromise is reached, the result of the referendum on Poland’s accession to the EU will be a resounding ‘yes’.”
VLADIMIR Kommersant-KARA-MURZA, London

Newspaper "Kommersant" No. 113 dated 07/03/2002, p. 6

Authors:

Vladimir Kara-Murza

The Polish speaker acted in a non-European manner