October 5, 2003	Sunday	Sha’aban 8, 1424

WARSAW: Poland’s leftist government has boxed itself into a corner with its all or nothing stand on the European constitution, risking either the wrath of European Union heavyweights or charges of treason at home. The ambitious EU newcomer is heading for a showdown with France and Germany, already irked by its support for the US-led war on Iraq, in a top-level EU debate on the constitution starting in Rome on Saturday.

Poland pledged an uncompromising fight against a proposal embodied in the constitution which limits its relatively big voting power in the expanded EU, awarded to Poland three years ago under the Nice Treaty.

Spain and, to a lesser degree, small EU newcomers are backing Poland’s view but Warsaw has rolled out biggest guns by actually threatening to use its right to veto the constitution, which would kill the project.

If it does, Poland risks being politically ostracised and financially punished by receiving less aid funds in the enlarged bloc, diplomats say.But if after all the grand-standing it accepts the constitution with just minor changes, the unpopular minority government may collapse because it will be accused of betraying national interests by moderates and nationalists alike.

Foreign Minister Wlodzimierz Cimoszewicz played into the hands of the opposition by declaring in parliament that departing from the Nice system is “out of the question”.

“Nice or death,” Jan Rokita, a deputy of the centrist Civic Platform and one of Poland’s most popular politicians, declared in parliament.—Reuters