EU presidency

Poland's logo controversy

Published on 11 May 2011 at 12:04

The logo for the Polish EU presidency designed by graphic artist Jerzy Janiszewski (the creator of the “Solidarity” logo) along with the presidency’s priorities were officially unveiled on 10 May by Prime Minister Donald Tusk. The logo consists of six coloured arrows pointing upwards with the Polish flag floating over the last one. According to the prime minister, it is a symbol “of Poland’s march to success”. However, a Rzeczpospolita columnist complains that the arrows look more like “infantile and carefree men marching under a sentimental banner...” -

“…hand-made arrows appear to symbolise the Polish genius for improvisation, while the different shapes and colours — evoking insubordination and an inclination towards lawlessness — and plump forms suggest a childlike naivety. The flag which is reference to the 'Solidarity' logo will bring back teary memories of a unity of attitudes and opinions that has been irrevocably lost."

Although the programme for Poland’s EU presidency will be formally adopted by the government on the 31 May, deputy Foreign Minister Mikołaj Dowgielewicz has already announced Warsaw’s key priorities: negotiation on the EU budget for 2014-2020, and talks on the Eastern Partnership and EU enlargement. “We want the Polish Presidency to introduce a higher level of EU enlargement which will mark a turning point in the history of Europe, and in the history of Poland and Ukraine,” pointed out Dowgielewicz. At the same time, he acknowledged that the Polish Presidency will also have to face “difficult debates on immigration policy and rescue packages for some of Eurozone countries.”

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