UK: Poland's premier-in-waiting Donald Tusk thanks expatriate Polish voters for massive support in the parliamentary elections two weeks ago

Record ID: 336242

  • Title: UK: Poland's premier-in-waiting Donald Tusk thanks expatriate Polish voters for massive support in the parliamentary elections two weeks ago
  • Date: 4th November 2007
  • Summary: LONDON STREET, OUTSIDE POLISH EMBASSY DONALD TUSK WALKING TOWARDS THE EMBASSY ACCOMPANIED BY TWO FORMER POLISH PRIME MINISTERS JAN KRZYSZTOF BIELECKI AND KAZIMIERZ MARCINKIEWICZ DONALD TUSK ENTERING THE EMBASSY TUSK GREETING IRENA ANDERS, WIDOW OF WLADYSLAW ANDERS, COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF POLISH ARMED FORCES IN EXILE (SOUNDBITE) (POLISH) RYSZARD KACZOROWSKI, FORMER POLISH P
  • Embargoed: 19th November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVA33QQ6DH2CUFCO3KCOUKDTBBAP
  • Story Text: Donald Tusk, expected to Poland's next prime minister after his centre-right Civic Platform party won a parliamentary election last month arrived to London to thank Polish expatriates for their support.
    An estimated two million Poles have left since the former communist country joined the European Union (EU) in 2004. Most, up to 1.2 million by some estimates, are in Britain and Ireland, where Polish plumbers, builders and painters have earned a reputation for hard work on low pay.
    Tusk's Civic Platform received almost 75 percent of the Polish vote in Britain and over 77 percent in Ireland, compared with its overall result of 42 percent.
    Some 60,000 Polish emigres cast their voted in Britain, many after queuing up at the polling stations for hours. Many think it was well worth it.
    "Big changes, that's what I expect. I would like to go back to Poland and I want to have something to go back to. I think I will," Anna, a young Polish woman who has lived in London for three years said.
    "I hope good manners will be back at the top echelons of power," said Ewa who, after twenty years living abroad is not planning to return, but would like to be proud of Poland and its politicians.
    Tusk promised to spur Poland's economy to lure home some of those have moved to Britain and Ireland to find jobs. Both countries were among the first west European states to open their labour markets to that year's ex-communist EU newcomers.
    Tusk held a rally on Saturday (November 3) in Ealing, a district of London with a large and long-established Polish community.
    Speaking before the rally Tusk said the economic changes in Poland which would make it a country worth going back to will take time. But he said his government was determined to start introducing changes which would matter to thousands of hundreds of Poles in exile.
    "We are planning to introduce tax amnesty for those who were not included in the agreement on the avoidance of double taxation, those who worked in Britain in 2004-2006. The project of the amnesty is ready, if it doesn't get blocked maliciously by our opponents, it should come into effect very soon. And another thing, very interesting also for those who live abroad, we are determined to abolish the military draft," Tusk said.
    Tusk said his government will bring home the 900 Polish troops in Iraq by mid 2008.
    "Summer, beginning of autumn 2008 is realistic date for ending the Polish mission in Iraq, the date which I hope will be agreed with and approved by our allies, the Americans," Tusk said.
    Asked about the mission in Afghanistan, Tusk said it will continue.
    "Afghanistan is a joint NATO effort. We will try to prepare our soldiers better, have better intelligence, better security and equipment but Poland will continue to take part in the mission," he said.
    Tusk is expected to become prime minister shortly after the first session of the new parliament on Monday (November 5).
    His non-combative style and pro-European views have won him support from millions of young Poles. His Civic Platform, a centre-right party, plans to patch up relations with Europe and said it intended to toughen Poland's negotiating position over plans to site installations for a controversial U.S.
    "missile shield" on Polish soil -- although not to stop those plans.
    Tusk's visit in London came as the United States indicated a visa regime will be lifted for the citizens of the Czech Republic within the next two years. The visa issue is very sensitive for Poland which had made frequent requests in the past for the regime to be lifted.
    "I do not want and I will not, when I become the Prime Minister, I will not ask the Americans to lift the visas. The Polish people do not have to ask for that," Tusk said, to the cheers of the audience.
    "But the way we talk with the United States will change. I do want to stress that I am pro-American, all my life I have been a keen supporter of the Atlantic (NATO) orentation," he added.
    Later in the evening Tusk attended a dinner party at the Polish Embassy.
    Among the invited guests were Ryszard Kaczorowski, the last president of the war-time government-in-exile and former prime ministers Kazimierz Marcinkiewicz and Jan Krzysztof Bielecki.
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