EU Conservatives dismiss talk of ECR split - komentarz dla "The Parliament Magazine"

Zapraszamy do lektury komentarza Poseł Lidii Geringer de Oedenberg dla "The Parliament Magazine" - o sytuacji w grupie politycznej Europejskich Konserwatystów i Reformatorów:

By Martin Banks - 1st February 2011

The leader of parliament's UK Conservative delegation has rubbished talk of a split in the ECR group, insisting "it is business as usual" despite the resignation of Michal Kaminski.

Martin Callanan was responding to speculation of a major rift in the ECR in the wake of Kaminski's decision to stand down as leader.
Kaminski, along with three other Polish MEPs, will quit as leader on 8 March after a major policy fall-out with his former Law and Justice party colleagues.
He has set up a new group in Poland and many observers are predicting he will quit ECR altogether and possibly join the eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy Group (EFD) group.
But Callanan, leader of the 25-strong Tory delegation in the ECR, moved to allay such fears on Tuesday, telling this website, "As far as I am aware there is no possibility of him or any of his colleagues leaving the group.
"It is business as usual and we are getting on with our work."
He said other groups in parliament contained parties from the same national delegation which "did not necessarily share all the same opinions."
"We are currently encouraging the two sides - Kaminski and the Law and Justice members - to work together. They are not exactly the best of friends but relations between the two are OK. We are all committed to ECR and I expect the Poles to continue working together for the good of the group."
However, one Polish member, Socialist deputy Lidia Geringer de Oedenberg, said she expects the warring Polish factions in ECR to eventually split altogether.
She said, "It seems ridiculous to people in Poland that you can have two parties with such apparent difference of opinion in the same political grouping in Brussels.
"It seems to most Polish people that they are saying they will remain in ECR purely for convenience. That way, of course, they will have more influence than going their own way."
It also emerged on Tuesday that whoever is elected leader will serve for only six months before facing another election.
The ECR group, along with all other groups in parliament, will hold its mid-term elections in January 2011.
On the possibility of a Polish defection to his group, EFD spokesman Hermann Kelly said, "We are always willing to talk to political parties which wish to join the EFD. An open dialogue with these parties is good for all concerned."

źródło: The Parliament Magazine