With a view to the rule of law, Angela Merkel stressed the importance of pluralist societies, an independent judiciary and independent media.

Chancellor Angela Merkel thanked her host Beata Szydło for the friendly welcome. Their meeting continued the intensive discussions of last year, when Germany and Poland celebrated the 25th anniversary of the signing of their Treaty on Good Neighbourliness.

Chancellor Angela Merkel was invited by the Polish government to visit Warsaw. The Chancellor was returning the inaugural visit of Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło in February 2016. The itinerary of this working visit also included talks with President Andrzej Duda and with representatives of the Opposition and the German minority.

Firm pillars of cooperation

The Chancellor declared that the main pillars of the good neighbourliness between Germany and Poland are political cooperation, both at bilateral level and within the framework of the European Union, close economic cooperation, and an intensive dialogue between civil society in the two states.

Politically, reported Angela Merkel, they had discussed "what we can do together, but also our common positions within the European Union". In this context she mentioned climate change mitigation and a working group on the ‘Winter Package’, where the two countries intend to contribute their points of view.

Youth exchange between the two countries is to be stepped up. Angela Merkel said that this was an area in which "a political signal could be sent". She explained that Germany has increased the annual funding for the German-Polish Youth Office to six million euros. New projects are to point the way forward.

Reinforcing democratic impetus

Chancellor Angela Merkel and Prime Minister Beata Szydło also discussed the rule of law. This is a point on which the Polish government is in consultation with the European Commission, said Angela Merkel. "I would just like to say on a very personal note, that when I was young, I always watched what was happening in Poland very attentively," said the Chancellor. Solidarnosc left a mark on her life too, she said. "Without Solidarnosc we would perhaps not have seen such a swift European unification or indeed German reunification."

From this period we see just how important pluralist societies, an independent judiciary and independent media are, because these things did not exist back then. "So I was pleased to hear that Poland will answer the questions of the European Commission and the Venice Commission. I hope that the discussion between the two partners is extremely constructive," stressed Angela Merkel.

Poland partner country of the Hannover Messe trade fair

Angela Merkel also pointed out that Poland is this year’s partner country of the Hannover Messe trade fair. This gives the country the opportunity to present its skills at the world’s largest showcase for industrial technology. Large German companies, but also small and medium enterprises are also engaged in Poland, reported the Chancellor. She thanked the Prime Minister for her assurances that these businesses are welcome. "This obviously applies just as much to Polish businesses in Germany," added Angela Merkel.

Common security in Europe

Defence policy is another important area of cooperation. The Chancellor underscored Germany’s contributions in conjunction with the strengthening of the eastern dimension. Germany is aware that it will have to raise its defence spending on top of last year’s five per cent increase. "I think that German and Poland have very much the same views here," stressed the Chancellor.

The question of securing borders, also to protect against illegal immigration from the east, was also a matter discussed. This is an area in which the ministers of the interior will continue to cooperate as required. The construction of a joint school in Lebanon is a very attractive project, which is making progress. "It is a German-Polish signal that we want to address the root causes of displacement and that we see this as an important focus in the way we handle the migration crisis," said the Chancellor. The future of Europe was a matter that would be discussed in more detail over dinner, summed up Angela Merkel.

Meeting with civil society and representative of political parties

In Warsaw, after a meeting with Polish President Andrzej Duda, the Chancellor also met with representatives of the German minority. Today most of the German minority live in and around Opole, in the western part of Upper Silesia in Opole voivodeship or district. The fact that pertinent commitments arising from the Treaty on Good Neighbourliness are being respected is an important sign, stressed Angela Merkel.

She also met with the leaders of several parties, including Jarosław Kaczyński, leader of the governing Law and Justice Party (PiS - Partei Prawo i Sprawiedliwość). The Chancellor is also to meet with the leader of the opposition Citizens’ Platform (PO - Platforma Obywatelska), Grzegorz Schetyna, and the leader of the PSL (Polskie Stronnictwo Ludow), Władysław Marcin Kosiniak-Kamysz. Like the German parties CDU and CSU, the PO and the PSL belong to the European People’s Party (EPP).