Avoid a circus, public tanks and not fall into a toxic spiral that extends and blocks day-to-day EU.
The slogan, launched again and again these weeks since the Office of the President of the European Council, was very clear, and on Thursday in Brussels the continental leaders followed almost Rajatabla.
It was inevitable to talk about Poland, about Poland and with Poland.
It was impossible to obviate the challenge to the rule of law, the threat of Warsaw to the Community legal system, and was a chimera that first ministers as the Dutch Mark Rutte shut up, but Charles Michel feared the repetition of what happened a few months ago with Viktor Orban
and the situation of the LGTBI collective in Hungary and that the summit was monopolized, hatching and it would not help much.
The result, given the circumstances, was reasonably satisfactory for the less combative wing.
Spain and other countries wanted them to talk about energy, migrations, economics and not get angry on something that has no solution.
Angela Merkel, in which maybe she is the last summit of her in Brussels, appealed with the lighter example of which she has been the method of her these lustros: “An avalanche of complaints before the European Court of Justice can not be the solution”
She warned.
There are countries that have an idea different from what it is and should be Europe, which question the idea of looking for ‘an increasingly narrow union’ or preferring more weight for capital.
“The best place to debate it is the Conference on the future of Europe,” the chancellor urged.
It is the way to approach it: avoid friction whenever possible, delegate to dilute, wait when she does not think it is time.
And now, she says, she is not.
The disappointment in the European Commission, which is the one who is holding the ARRETE for years in the pulse with Warsaw, was patent.
Ursula von der Leyen is the one that has to fight, which she gave the replica to Tadeusz Morawiecki on Tuesday in the European Parliament, which she is pointed out from the Eurocámara for not making Guardian of the Treaties.
“We all have to assume responsibilities when it comes to protecting the fundamental values, I’m looking forward to seeing the discussion of the leaders,” the German, scarce of allies.
Mark Rutte spoke clearly.
“In Ireland we are very worried, we have a good relationship with Poland but we believe in the primacy of European law,” said Prime Minister Micheal Martin.
“We have all decided to be part of the European family, in its spirit and also in the letter, we are very disappointed by events and how things are developing and we believe that the solution should be resolved in favor of the rule of law,” he added.
“The sanctions are the last option, but before I would like to see dialogues, find solutions together, work together in the same direction, do not speak immediately of punishment or less funds,” the Luxembourgue Xavier Bettel, usually of the most combative in these
Issues.
But little more.
The crises of the last decade, from the economic to migration, have severely eroded the trust between partners and created deep divisions and a new clash by the rule of law can burst the bridges that are still standing.
For two years, Hungary has systematically booked important decisions in foreign policy, blocks sanctions, common documents.
And it also avoids that Poland is punished.
If another country is added to those dynamics and starting tickling the consequences can be very serious.
Operatively, the Summit did not offer surprises.
Michel wanted the debate on Rule of Law on the agenda, but he had to resign.
The covenant was that he would talk, that everyone who wanted (starting by Polish Prime Minister and Von Der Limen) would take the floor, but there were no written conclusions.
This, which from outside is not understood well, is the key to European operation.
The conclusions, a document that is negotiated to the word for days or weeks, is the political script, serves to send them to the commission or ministers, to give guidelines, to set limits, to delimit ambition.
If something is not in the conclusions of the European Council or does not exist or it is not a priority.
The debate on the first day of summit was short.
They barely took the word a few, showing their concerns but avoiding aggressive confrontation.
The Polish prime minister did not feel cornered and that is good and bad, according to the sources consulted.
On the one hand the blood does not reach the river, but on the other a contumaz position is encouraged.
They believe in Brussels that in the Visegraduate countries they better understand the language of force that peace and argue that if there is no real clash, sanctions, if the money is not threatened, there will be no exchange rate.
Warsaw and Budapest are aggressive, they vocifented, but they could not sustain a long-term campaign if the tap closes.
The feeling in the hallways, the corrosion, the previous meetings was of concern, but actually not emergency.
The Polish question has too many edges to address it already, fully, or by the bad.
It is not something that can be resolved in the courts, even if they are an essential part of the process.
It is a political, historical, philosophical problem, but without a clear leadership it is complicated to follow a path.
With Angela Merkel de Exit, without a clear chancellor to succeed, with Emmanuel Macron playing his future within half a year, with governments in functions in Netherlands, Romania, a new chancellor in Austria and problems in other capitals, distraction is too great
.
But postpone the discussion, avoid the shock now, it is not a success per se.
Morawiecki has arrived in Brussels, via Strasbourg, with a challenging attitude.
He met this Threeze privately with Merkel, Macron and Pedro Sánchez, the three leaders of the three main, conservative, liberal and socialist families.
He wanted to tell you that the situation was not so serious, that there may be accommodation for a different Poland within the European family.
That they believe in the Union or in the primacy of Community law, but aspire to something that is denied.
The response of the three leaders was that there can be no European Europe for each, who accept national particularities but that the legal order is sacred and are playing with fire.
Berlin, and to a lesser degree Paris, they want a dialogue solution.
That the European Commission and Warsaw find a way of understanding, because the way of force, of sanctions, of the Conditionality Mechanism that can freeze Community funds, or not approve the Polish recovery plan, is effective, it is drastic,
But also very dangerous.
The Eurocamera, which yesterday approved the umpteenth resolution against the Government of the pee, press, but there is no too big appetite for going to war.
It is not a matter of values or principles, say the German and French diplomats, but of pragmatism: nobody wins in civil wars.
