Majority of Poles support EU budget veto - survey

Hungary and Poland on Monday blocked the adoption of the 2021-2027 budget and recovery fund by European Union governments because it included a clause which makes access to money conditional on respecting the rule of law. According to the survey conducted by United Surveys, 57% of Poles support the veto, while 20% are against blocking the EU budget.

The majority of Poles support vetoing the European Union's budget if payments for Warsaw are linked with the adherence to the rule of law, according to a poll published by Dziennik Gazeta Prawna daily on Monday. Hungary and Poland on Monday blocked the adoption of the 2021-2027 budget and recovery fund by European Union governments because it included a clause which makes access to money conditional on respecting the rule of law.

According to the survey conducted by United Surveys, 57% of Poles support the veto, while 20% are against blocking the EU budget. At the same time, Poland's ruling party - the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party - is supported by 30% of voters, according to another poll. The nationalist governments in Budapest and Warsaw are against linking EU money and respect for the rule of law because they are under a formal EU process investigating them for undermining the independence of courts, media and non-governmental organisations.

If the link, introduced by EU leaders in July and strengthened by the European Parliament, remains, both countries risk losing access to tens of billions of euros in EU funds. The blockage means money for economic recovery for all EU countries from the recession brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to be delayed. It was originally planned to start flowing from mid-2021.