Polish politians critical of Kaczynski's anti-German remarks

Oct 6, 2011, 18:13 GMT

Warsaw - Five former Polish foreign ministers joined the country's premier and president Thursday in their condemnation of opposition leader Jaroslaw Kaczynski's critical statements about German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

'We feel a moral obligation to tell Chancellor Merkel: we solidarize with you,' read a letter signed by former foreign ministers Wladyslaw Bartoszewski, Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz, Andrzej Olechowski, Dariusz Rosati and Adam Daniel.

'Poles and Germans still have much to accomplish together, not only in bilateral relations, but for the good of a united Europe,' they wrote.

In his new book, The Poland of our Dreams, Kaczynski said Merkel wanted 'subordination' from Poland. He suggested that Merkel had not become chancellor by 'pure chance' - a remark some have interpreted as implying that the East German secret police helped her come to power.

The former ministers said they 'deeply object' to Kaczynski's statements, calling them 'harmful to Poland.' They noted that Berlin had previously offered Warsaw support in key issues such as joining the European Union and NATO.

President Bronislaw Komorowski said late Wednesday that Kaczynski, head of the opposition Law and Justice party, should 'simply apologise' for his remarks.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk said earlier that Kaczynski had launched a 'war of words' with the statements that 'harm the Polish national interest.'

The comments come ahead of parliamentary elections on Sunday. Tusk's ruling Civic Platform leads Kaczynski's right-wing Law and Justice party in the polls by some 10 percentage points.

Kaczynski is known for his harsh language about Germany and Russia. He has accused both Berlin and Moscow of imperial ambitions.

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