In Poland, three more provinces have decided to no longer be an "LGBT-free zone." They made this decision under pressure from the European Commission, which had decided not to pay EU subsidies to such ‘gay-free regions.’ Last week, another region had already taken the same decision.
The regions that had signed such a declaration are mainly strictly Catholic conservative areas. This put them on a collision course with the European Commission. According to the Commission, these "LGBT-free zones" violated EU non-discrimination law.
The Polish government and the EU are also at odds over a Polish reorganization of the judiciary, which would partly come under government control.
In that matter, the EU even threatens to stop subsidies to the Polish government. For example, the European Commission still has not approved the Polish Reconstruction Plan. As a result, the payment of tens of billions, including money for agricultural subsidies, is also on hold.
This money comes from the large corona recovery fund, of which four billion is allocated for rural development. Now that Brussels is putting earlier threats into practice, these additional subsidies from the second CAP pillar (building roads and internet, village restoration, etc.) are also at risk for Poland.
Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki reacted furiously to the suspended payments and said no one has the right to lecture his country. EU Agriculture Commissioner Janusz Wojciechowski tried to reassure the Polish countryside, saying it would not be that serious.
But many Poles still do not know whether ‘their’ Polish Agriculture Commissioner in Brussels has enough authority and influence to make this happen. Direct payments from the CAP are crucial in the Polish countryside. About one-third of agricultural income comes from direct payments.