Speech by HE Ambassador Prof. Piotr Wilczek on the inauguration of the Polish Presidency of the EU.

Описание: On Friday, 31 January 2025 we had the honour to attend the reception marking the beginning of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The ceremony took place in
The French Institute of Scotland in Edinburgh - the prestigious venue in the capital of Scotland.

The organiser of the meeting was the Polish Embassy in London.

The meeting was attended by the special guests, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland to the Court of St James’s Piotr Wilczek and the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Mr Angus Robertson MSP, who both gave excellent speeches to mixed Polish and Scottish audience.

The meeting was also attended by the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh Łukasz Lutostański, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh Robert Aldridge, members of the diplomatic corps and representatives of the key Polish and Scottish organisations including Polish Sue Association. Amongst the guests were famous artists, politicians and those who are descendants of the Polish army soldiers, who were based in Scotland during the second war.

In his speech, the Polish Ambassador spoke about the key objectives of the Polish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. But also he addressed how close ties Poland has with Scotland through the years. He mentioned that Polish community in Scotland is thriving and Poles are preset in the Scottish universities as well as businesses , main institutions and organisations in Scotland adding value to the Scottish community and economic development.

His Excellency Ambassador Piotr Wilczek stressed that Poland’s presidency of the Council of the European Union, from January to June 2025, is centered around the theme of Security in Europe. The key objectives of the Polish presidency encompass strengthening European security across multiple dimensions.

Firstly it is the external security dimension - which is enhancing defense readiness through increased military spending, bolstering the defense industry, and addressing capability gaps. The presidency emphasizes the need for concerted and ambitious action in European defense, complementing NATO’s efforts.

Another aspect is the internal security, which is focusing on border security and managing migration effectively. The presidency aims to support activities that strengthen internal security measures within the EU.

Equally important is information security, which is addressing challenges related to misinformation and cyber threats to protect the EU’s information infrastructure.

Yet another aspect is the economic security with the objective of promoting greater European economic independence and competitiveness in the global market. This includes initiatives to ensure the EU’s economic stability and resilience.

His Excellency Ambassador Piotr Wilczek has stressed that Poland would also promote energy security within its presidency ensuring a stable and secure energy supply for the EU, reducing dependence on external sources, and enhancing energy infrastructure.

Poland will also champion food security by helping to implement measures to secure the EU’s food supply chains and ensure access to safe and affordable food for all EU citizens.

Last but not least Poland will seek health security for the EU by strengthening healthcare systems to better prepare for and respond to health crises, ensuring the well-being of EU citizens.

Additionally, the Polish presidency seeks to deepen the transatlantic partnership, recognising the importance of strong EU-US relations in addressing global challenges.

The Polish Ambassador emphasized that the above objectives reflect Poland’s deep commitment to addressing current geopolitical challenges and enhancing the overall security and resilience of the European Union during its tenure.

His speech was received with great ovation of the entire audience.

Here you can listen to fragments of the speech. #ipn #poland #polesinuk #polishhistory #polishsue #prezydent #solidarity #history #stanwojenny #ww2
We would like to thank His Excellency Ambassador Piotr Wilczek and the Consul General of the Republic of Poland in Edinburgh Łukasz Lutostański for inviting Polish Sue to this meeting.

We are wishing Poland constructive and successful presidency in Europe.