Growing rumors about the fate of the Foreign Minister

Although President Kaczynski issued a prompt denial yesterday afternoon, Fotyga's absence from the EU summit in Berlin and her decision to take a week's leave yesterday reignited speculation that had been swirling for some time now. Under her watch, the foreign ministry has been relegated to a secondary role in Polish foreign policy behind the President's chancellery and the Prime Minister's Office. One of Fotyga's more visible failures is in her ambassadorial appointments. While she has been very quick to get rid of many of "old guard" ambassadors, associated with former foreign minister Bronislaw Geremek, the lack of suitable candidates loyal to Law and Justice means as many as 19 Polish embassies, including in some key countries, remain without a formal ambassador. Moreover, as the terms of current ambassadors in Rome, Madrid and Lisbon expire in a few months, Poland may find itself poorly represented in just the places where the future of the EU Constitution may soon be decided. (Gazeta Wyborcza p. 1, 4) R.M.