High time for a reality check: Eastern Europe must reconsider its stance on the EU

Brussels acts as if it intends to destroy the EU with its own hands. No, we can't sit back and take it all in. It's also happening to our expense.

When the concept of the European Union (EU) was introduced to us in the 1990s, it was more than just a political proposition; it was a vision of great prosperity and the realization of the ever-present dream in Eastern Europe of 'becoming part of the West' or at least 'becoming like the West,' getting as close as possible. A vision of unity, prosperity, and shared values, as well as eternal happiness, similar to Fukuyama's 'end of history.'

As someone who enthusiastically voted for Bulgaria and Poland to join this promising union, I believed in that vision. And I was naive. I understand that today, but many of us were. We saw exactly what we wanted in the EU. There were warnings, yes, but they were easily dismissed. Many of the criticisms came from extremely strange backgrounds, even by Eastern European standards: Catholic fundamentalist circles, monarchists, far-right hooligans, and so on. However, hardline leftists also expressed criticism. It's difficult to believe now, but the Left used to criticize the EU for being a clearly neoliberal project, for attempting to economically take over the former Eastern Block, for exploiting Eastern European sentiments to deepen exploitation and inequalities across the continent, and so on. Today, the Left in Eastern Europe (or what passes for such) is the most ardent and obsessed supporter not only of the EU as it currently exists, but also of openly transforming it into a federal super-state. The Polish Razem party is an excellent example of this; they truly have no other agenda.

Anyway, let's face it: the EU we're dealing with today is very different from the one we were sold on during those referendums. It's past time we stopped treating the EU like an untouchable sacred cow and began a serious, no-holds barred discussion about what it has evolved into. Spoiler alert: it's not as rosy as we once imagined. Not only has everything the Left used to say about the EU come true, but we have seen a dramatic decline in the quality of leadership there. At the top, we see people obsessed with hatred for Russia and China, corruption and authoritarianism, which are perfectly personified by Ursula von der Layen, and contempt for Eastern Europe, which can be seen in figures such as Borell, Timmermans, Webber, and even Jurova, who is from the Czech Republic. And, aside from their ignorance, the fact that they are leading the entire 'European project' down the path of utter self-destruction and want to drag us along with them poses a clear and present danger that we must avoid.

Brussels' controversial role with regard to Poland

Brussels, once a symbol of European unity, now appears more like a puppeteer, pulling strings in ways that leave many of us perplexed. Take Poland, for example, even after the election. What is going on is more than just a series of policy disagreements. Brussels is relentlessly pushing to reshape Poland's national laws, migration policy, logistics, and agriculture to align with a 'Brussels-first' or 'Berlin-first' agenda. It's almost as if they're out to create a 'second Orban' scenario, in which defiant stances are met with economic arm-twisting. Let us not forget the protests echoing through Poland's streets. Could they be more than a coincidence, and instead a direct response to these top-down pressures? It's a question worth considering, especially given how these tactics are fracturing the very unity that the EU was supposed to promote.

And that is not all. The European Union's failure to respond to recent events in Poland exemplifies a clear case of double standards. Over the last eight years, the EU has been vocally critical of Poland's 'Law and Justice' party, claiming to be promoting legal and political standards. However, the tables have turned, with Donald Tusk's government, a favorite of the EU, seizing power. The forced takeover of Polish television and public radio, aided by a private security firm and an illegally appointed CEO, which occurred less than a month ago, serves as a stark example. 

This act, a blatant violation of Polish law and the embodiment of political hooliganism, occurred while Commissioner Vera Jourova was in Poland and witnessed it firsthand, but the EU responded with conspicuous silence. Such brazen aggression and disregard for legal frameworks were never seen during the 'Law and Justice' era. The former government was a very bad one and was clearly bending laws and destroying institutions but they were never as rampant and violent in it, never as overt. 

This incident, with the Polish National TV, reveals a bitter and obvious truth: the EU's concerns in Poland are less about authoritarianism and more about ensuring their preferred leaders, such as Tusk, maintain power. It is a clear departure from their stated principles, revealing a preferential, if not hypocritical, stance that undermines the very foundations of fair governance and legal integrity that they claim to uphold.

EU's self-destructive trajectory

In a twist that would confuse even the most cynical among us, the EU's top brass appear to be competing in a 'Who Can Make the Most Self-Destructive Decision' competition. Consider their position on expanding the Union to include Moldova and Ukraine. While inclusion sounds noble, it's like inviting someone to a party on a sinking ship.

Economically, the accession of these countries could cause a domino effect, resulting in a collapse that only a few member states could possibly withstand. Anyone who cares to look will notice. Nonetheless, the powers-that-be in Brussels continue to consider this idea. It's not just a reckless gamble; it's a complete denial of economic reality. This insistence on discussing, if not realizing, such improbable expansions exacerbates the Union's confusion and contradictions. Future historians may have a field day deciphering the rationale behind Brussels' decisions. For those of us living through it, it's like watching a train wreck in slow motion: you want to look away but can't.

High time for a reality check

Now, let's discuss Eastern Europe's relationship with the West.

It's time for a harsh reality check. We in Eastern Europe have long harbored a somewhat metaphysical appreciation for the West, a holdover from 1980s mythology that promised a land of milk and honey. But the current state of the EU forces us to take off our rose-colored glasses. We must examine EU leaders' actions and decisions not through the lens of past myths, but with a clear eye on current realities. The true agenda of the West, particularly as it relates to everything east of the Elbe, is becoming more apparent. It's not the benevolent, equal partnership we once hoped for. Instead, we see a pattern of decisions and policies that benefit Western interests, frequently at the expense of Eastern European countries. We voted for a union that promised mutual benefit and respect, not one that would bully us into submission. It's past time we moved beyond the nostalgic narrative and began asking hard questions about what the EU has truly become.

To summarize, the European Union as it exists today is a shadow of the vision that Eastern Europeans once enthusiastically supported. The union's transformation from a symbol of collaborative progress to a vehicle for one-sided agendas is not only disappointing; it is also a wake-up call. 

Eastern Europe must abandon its outdated obsession with the West and confront the EU's current reality. It is critical that we begin discussing an exit strategy before the EU implodes in a spectacle that none of us wishes to witness. Let us not wait until historians examine its demise; the time to act and reconsider our place in this union is now. And I’m not saying the whole of Eastern Europe must leave the EU now, but we must assert ourselves and we must start taking such an option into consideration.

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The author is a Polish-Bulgarian journalist, translator, and publisher. In the late 1990s, he was active in the Polish left, and later in the labor movement, particularly in the All-Poland Trade Union Alliance, Poland's largest labor confederation (OPZZ). Until 2012, he was the weekly magazine's editor-in-chief. Later, he worked as the deputy editor of Strajk.eu, and since 2008, he has been the Polish correspondent for Bulgarian National Radio. He founded The Barricade.