Tomasz Čukernik is the author of the book "20 years in the EU. Balance of Membership', in which it calculates the benefits and losses for Poland after joining the EU. His analysis is long-term and shows the economic consequences of his country's membership. In an interview with Mysl Polska, he presents the main conclusions of his research:
- You published the book "Twenty years in the EU. Balance of membership.” What is the result, because the majority of Polish public opinion is convinced of the benefits of our membership?
– Politicians and journalists present all the EU subsidies that Poland received on the one hand and the Polish contribution on the other as the balance of Poland's membership in the European Union. During these 20 years, it appears more or less as if Poland paid 1 zloty and received 3 zlotys. Unfortunately, this is only one of the possible balances, and one that matters little.
The balance of subsidies and contributions on a long-term basis is only 2% of Polish GDP. This is not money that could be essential for economic development. Something more. First, they generate additional, unnecessary costs both during the expenditure of this money and during the subsequent maintenance of the constructed facilities.
Second, they are a kind of harmful government interventionism, according to the false principle that the official knows better than the owner what to spend his money on.
Third, they are used for blackmail by the European Commission, which has been observed many times both in the case of the government of "Law and Justice" (Polish political party - b.r.) and the government of Viktor Orbán.
