WARSAW, March 23 (Xinhua) -- EU officials have distanced themselves from citizens and should improve the way they function, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said Thursday.
Address a conference on European integration, Szydlo expressed Poland care for the future of Europe and wanted the European Union to work in a better way.
"European institutions are excessively preoccupied with routine operations" and EU officials are "increasingly enclosing themselves in a comfortable ivory tower where the voice of the people is not heard very well," Szydlo said.
According to the Polish PM, EU officials have distanced themselves from citizens, one of results of which was Britain's decision to leave the bloc.
EU imperfections should be eliminated, which can only be done together, using a diversity of ideas, Szydlo added. She praised the EU for bringing peace and prosperity to the member countries, saying: "We must defend ourselves together in solidarity, in a spirit of mutual understanding and respect for others."
Regarding the idea of a multi-speed European Union, Szydlo expressed the opinion that it would break up Europe, introducing even more insecurity and chaos. "The EU requires changes and improvement on what is not functioning in the best possible way, but we will not achieve this with a multi-speed Europe. Instead of repairing the project, we will dismantle it," Szydlo added.
Lastly, Szydlo added that Poland would firmly call for holding on to the principles in the EU, opposing the wave of protectionism. She described the single market as one of the greatest achievements of European integration: "This is a project with fundamental importance for all European economies, welfare of their citizens and the cohesion of the EU."
Earlier Thursday, Szydlo told a private broadcaster TVN24 that Poland would not sign the Rome Declaration unless it included postulates which were of priority importance to Poland. The four priorities included EU unity, cooperation with NATO, a stronger role for national parliaments and the rules governing the single market.
Rome Declaration is planned to be adopted at the summit marking the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome on Saturday.
