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POLAND HAS TAKEN over the European Union presidency from Hungary.
The EU has a six-month rotating presidency and Poland is expected to bring a more conciliatory approach than its predecessor Hungary.
A spokesperson for the Polish presidency said its goal will be to “support dialogue and ensure the smooth conduct of the Council’s work”.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk is an experienced politician and was head of the European Council from 2014 to 2019 and also president of the European People’s Party (EPP), the largest party in the European Parliament.
Fine Gael is a member of the EPP.
Tusk said the “presidency will be groundbreaking in many ways” and remarked that it “begins during a challenging time marked by conflicts”.
“Our task will be to convince all 27 EU member states that Europe can continue to be the safest, most stable place on Earth,” said Tusk.
“Security will be our top priority during the upcoming six months.”
Tusk added that he will “implement a shared, carefully planned security policy, providing Ukraine with the necessary support”.
“We will do everything to ensure that Europe’s security is a reality, not just an aspiration,” said Tusk.
Under Hungary’s nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, Budapest regularly found itself at loggerheads with Brussels, becoming something of a black sheep.
Its six-month presidency was awaited with dread and later proved to be “quite irritating” to other EU governments, said Guntram Wolff, a senior fellow at Brussels-based think tank Bruegel.
Viktor Orban also used the platform to openly pursue his own diplomatic agenda.
He began by travelling to Russia for talks with President Vladimir Putin as part of an unapproved Ukraine “peace mission” that also saw him visit Kyiv and Beijing.
That sparked fury among fellow EU leaders.
Meanwhile, Poland has been among Ukraine’s loudest backers since the 2022 invasion, while Hungary – as Moscow’s closest EU ally – has resisted support for Kyiv.
“Everyone is looking forward to having a fresh start,” said a diplomat speaking on condition of anonymity.
When a country assumes the EU presidency, it is meant to put their politics aside to take on a seemingly more neutral role.
Although the EU likens the role of the presidency to “hosting a dinner” among the bloc’s members, the job is not without punch.
The country in charge gets to chair meetings of the European Council, which comprises the governments of the 27 EU states, steer the agenda and steward negotiations.
Hungary managed most EU internal matters in conventional fashion. But it stalled the bloc’s action on foreign policy, including loans and military assistance for Ukraine.
Since it joined the EU in 2004, Poland’s economy has almost tripled in size, according to the Danish Institute for International Studies.
It currently accounts for more than 4% of the EU’s total output.
Only Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands contribute more.
Poland currently tops NATO’s spending ranking relative to the size of its economy, with more than 4% of its GDP devoted to defence.
This will be reflected in the goals it pursues over the next semester.
The bloc’s fifth largest country in terms of population has said it wants to use the presidency to “strengthen its position as one of the most important” EU states.
Its representative to the EU, Agnieszka Bartol, said “security” would be its main focus.
While this includes economic, energy and food security, defence is top of the list.
“We cannot ignore the international situation,” Bartol said.
“We are in times of extreme challenges. There is a war just next to us”.
Warsaw says ramping up support for Ukraine, enhancing sanctions against Russia and boosting Europe’s defence industry are among its priorities.
That’s “not going to be an easy task” however, cautioned the diplomatic source.
He noted that the EU’s security and foreign policy decisions require unanimity, and Hungary and Slovakia were not likely to concur.
Others expressed concerns that Poland’s presidential election, scheduled for May, might see domestic politics muddy Warsaw’s neutrality on the EU stage.
“They will always position themselves in light of the presidential election,” said a senior diplomat.
But “that’s part of the game”, said the first diplomatic source.
Apart from security, no major decisions are expected over the next six months.
A new European Commission – which plays a central role in preparing EU legislation – has only just been appointed.
With additional reporting from © AFP 2024
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Don’t see why it can’t be used as a step down unit. Plenty of patients in dublin hospitals who are at a stage of recovery that means they’re neither well enough to go home or sick enough for an acute bed. A short stay step down unit would free up acute beds and take the pressure off a&e departments.
Would make a decent Wetherspoons
Isn’t paying a UK estate agent to sell the building not enough (like there are no domestic estate agents); you want to turn it into a British pub too? Sure why don’t we just give up altogether and repatriate our whole economy over there?
or mad idea. the hse developes the site. they get their primary care facility and turn the rest into apartments. the rent of which will generate income for the primary care unit and free up some hse cash for other uses. why cant this be done.
The HSE is not in the business nor has any resources/experience in property development… It’s not as simple as just ‘knocking up some apartments on the site’
Some kind of public/private partnership would be required.
Once you start down that road you split the focus of the organization and its aims.
Properly managed it is quite straight forward, but I wouldn’t trust the HSE to have such foresight.
Properly managed requires them to hire good people to manage it and property developer salaries are in the millions.
The HSE doesn’t have the cash to pay enough nurses and Drs as it is, could you imagine it firing 50 nurses or cutting back on drugs and telling hospitals to do without to bring in someone to to manage its on the side property business…
Perhaps NAMA could be brought in to run that side of it in partnership with the HSE. They already have the expertise and either way the money generated ends up in the public purse.
Yes indeed let Nama sell it to their friends at a discount good thinking China man.
NAMA is a good suggestion… no need to fire anyone if NAMA provides the finance. Property developers per se don’t really need to be involved (as in a Johnny Rohan or the like )… a reputable contractor along with a small team of professionals should be well able to manage a development of its size.
property developers are just guys with money, you only need an architect and some builders to develop this building not Johnny Ronan.
This would make an excellent respite facility if refurbished and staffed with competent caring individuals. Baggot is has loads of pubs and eateries it doesn’t need any more.
it make a great Hotel, the money from the sale could make a good purpose built unit which would have much lower running costs.
The HSE didn’t exist in 1986. It would have been entrusted to the Eastern Health Board or some such entity.
Denis will buy it.
As some other posters have observed, it would make an excellent step down facility for those requiring convales cence; it could supply much needed accommodation for the homeless; it could supply much needed Student accommodation. (I won’t even dare mention refugees!). I am sure that many posters could posit more good uses. However, it is apparently much better to sell the building, at a knock down price no doubt, to a foreign multi-billionaire, or a hedge fund stuffed with the same people. After all, must keep up the agreed sale of assets, which had slowed down a bit, but no doubt will get right back on course.
memories
Same here Eleanor . I commenced my training there in 1969 and then after qualifying worked in the ICU , Coronary Care and Thoracic Units . It was a really good place to work and a great hospital
That used to be a district court also
No, you’re thinking of the Richmond Hospital.
No it never was !
Your right yea sorry spot on
I didn’t recognise it!!!
No matter what everyone thinks, it does need refurbishment and would probably make a great hotel .
Turn it into Student accommodation. It’s between UCD and Trinity.
Why can I not post comments on the more political articles on here today?
Behind the beautiful facade, the building is falling down. Needs knocking. It’s a safety issue. Too costly for any health care facility. Hotel best option
Will be turned into luxury apartments costing €500,000 for a one bed flat!
Become a weatherspoons or Greggs
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