Patryk Jaki accused Ursula von der Leyen of repeating promises she had failed to fulfil during six years in office. Responding to her State of the Union speech, the Polish ECR co-chair criticised wasteful spending, rising energy prices and growing EU bureaucracy.
Ms von der Leyen had said that deeds mattered more than words. Mr Jaki responded by comparing her latest pledges with those she made in 2020. “You have had six years to deliver on your promises,” he told the European Commission president. “That is longer than governments in the member states usually have.”
Are you counting on people having short memories? — Patryk Jaki (ECR/POL) to Ursula von der Leyen
Mr Jaki cited an investigation estimating that European countries had discarded 200 million Covid-19 vaccine doses valued at €4 billion. He also pointed to concerns from the European Court of Auditors about transparency and spending under the EU’s recovery fund.
Old promises return as costs increase
Ms von der Leyen placed competitiveness at the centre of her address, promising to reduce bureaucracy, lower energy costs and strengthen European industry. Mr Jaki said the Commission had failed to complete the Capital Markets Union and Banking Union. It had also promised to reduce bureaucracy but employed more officials and proposed new institutions, he argued.
He accused Ms von der Leyen of failing to deliver an industrial strategy or lower energy prices. Energy costs had doubled during her presidency, he claimed, while company insolvencies increased and Europe lost part of its share of the global economy.
Mr Jaki also contrasted Ms von der Leyen’s latest position on migration with her comments in 2020, when she described migration as a permanent part of European life. “Are you counting on people having short memories?” he asked.
The Commission president had described the EU as stronger than ever, but Mr Jaki argued that its economic and innovative position had weakened. If Brussels wanted to help young people, he concluded, it should provide “jobs and security” instead of restricting their access to the internet.
