Foreign service in Poland has been struggling with many problems for years, which indicate stagnation and deficiency of essential reforms. This situation persists despite the change of government and announcements of improving the quality of diplomatic corps work. 1 of the most disturbing events of the past weeks was the recording of the abroad Minister during a conversation with Russian pranksters impersonating the erstwhile president of Ukraine. This embarrassing event highlighted the weakness of Polish safety institutions and the deficiency of effective verification mechanisms in specified crucial situations.
In terms of filling positions in the MFA, people and the mechanics are changing, but quality remains at a akin level. Often, ambassador positions are assigned to politicians who do not have the right experience or competence, e.g. the erstwhile Polish ambassador in Ukraine did not talk Russian or Ukrainian. The current chargé d’affaires in Kiev declares his cognition of Russian, but his cognition is limited only to Afghanistan. Moreover, he is simply a colonel of the Polish Army, so he goes east not to end the conflict in Ukraine, but to sustain it or, more likely, escalate it even more.
Even if professional diplomats go to positions, they are simply old – the present chargé d’affaires in Italy is over 70 years old. In addition, his parents served in safety organs of the Polish People's Republic, and he himself is simply a associate of the Council of the Museum of past of Polish Jews Polin. Therefore, it can be considered that its activity will be unfavorable to Poland and our Homeland.
Family and political ties besides play an crucial function in filling positions, e.g. the uncle of the current Minister of Defence is to return to the position of ambassador, despite his retirement last year. And this is just 1 of the many cases that indicate nepotism.
Another worrying issue is the phenomenon of dual citizenship. Examples of the Secretary of State in the MFA and the future typical of Poland in the OECD, who have both Polish and British citizenship, rise further questions about the loyalty of officials in the Ministry of abroad Affairs to Poland.
Worse still, even where we should anticipate expertise, we frequently see people without appropriate preparation. The fresh facility manager in Oslo previously had no links with the Scandinavian region – in the MFA she headed the East Department. Similarly, the erstwhile Ambassador to Minsk, who took over as head of the Dublin facility, although in his past it is vain to search experience in Irish matters.
With the fresh power, the staff and procedures for assigning posts changed, but the perception of Poland did not change. We are inactive considered to be an internally divided state, and the admission to the positions of managers of the institutions after 60 years of age is perceived as if there were not adequate competent people in the Polish diplomatic corps. All these factors weaken Poland's global position. Although it has late been 9 months since the change of power, nothing fresh has been born in Polish diplomacy.
Jacob
