Premier Armin Laschet greeting President Andrzej Duda in front of German Ambassador Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven, Paul Ziemiak CDU SG stands behind – Picture by Marek Borawski, Kancelaria Prezydenta.
31 July and 1 August 2021, Warsaw, Republic of Poland: Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Armin Laschet held political talks with, amongst others, the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki during an official visit meant to attend the commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising.
Premier Laschet was accompanied by the CDU Secretary-General Paul Ziemak as well as by the German Ambassador in Poland, Dr. Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven.
Besides the commemoration of the Warsaw Uprising, the bilateral talks focused on the future of Europe and relations between North Rhine-Westphalia and Poland.
The topic of the rule of law was also discussed intensively. Premier Armin Laschet said: “With its accession to the European Union, Poland has also become part of the European community of law. If this community of law is called into question, it also affects our common identity.” “Poland and Germany benefit from economic exchange and from Europe growing together. But close economic exchange cannot mask political differences. That is why the Federal Government is right to focus on dialogue. Politically friendly countries in particular can exchange different opinions and still work on the unity of Europe,” Premier Laschet continued.
At the invitation of the Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski, the Premier Laschet partook in the commemorations at the cemetery for the insurgents in Warsaw on the evening of 1 August. An exchange with Senate Marshal Tomasz Grodzki was also held during the evening. During an exchange with survivors of the Warsaw Uprising, Premier Armin Laschet was deeply impressed by the testimonies and gestures of reconciliation.
Background North Rhine-Westphalia and Poland
Around 650,000 people of Polish origin live in North Rhine-Westphalia. The state government has appointed a permanent contact person, the Polonia Commissioner Thorsten Klute. In addition to the many municipal partnerships, there is also an active German-Polish civil society in North Rhine-Westphalia, which is supported by the state government.
In 2018/2019, the Richeza Prize of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia was awarded for the second time for outstanding services to German-Polish understanding. Poland ranks seventh on the list of the quantitatively most important trading partners for North Rhine-Westphalia. The largest import categories are furniture, foodstuffs and motor vehicle parts. The largest export sectors to Poland are chemicals, machinery and metals.
NRW.Global Business has had a foreign office in Warsaw since 2016. There are around 3,500 jobs in North Rhine-Westphalia at around 300 Polish companies. Likewise, many North Rhine-Westphalian companies are also located in Poland, such as Evonik Industries, Metro, Pfeifer & Langen, Remondis or Siempelkamp.
The year 2021 is also “France-Poland-NRW Year“. It promotes, deepens and emphasises the trilateral initiatives in North Rhine-Westphalia. In 1991, the countries of France, Germany and Poland concluded a treaty on joint partnership, the so-called Great Weimar Triangle. The aim is to improve understanding in Europe and among the citizens of the three countries.
The regional Weimar Triangle Silesia-NRW-Hauts-de-France was adopted ten years later, in 2001, to emphasisze the economic and cultural ties between the regions.
For further information
Polish Presidency
https://www.prezydent.pl/kancelaria/bpm/aktualnosci/wydarzenia-/art,46,palac-prezydecki.html
Government of NRW
German Embassy in Poland – HE Ambassador Dr. Arndt Freytag von Loringhoven
Polish Embassy in Germany – HE Ambassador Prof. Dr. Andrzej Przyłębski
