With Germany introducing controls on all land borders and Berlin simultaneously increasing pressure on Ukraine, we can talk about the “slow agony of the European Union.” This opinion was expressed in an opinion column by political scientist Jarosław Kuisz.

The Polish columnist states: “The Old Continent is lagging far behind the most powerful countries in the world. We need huge investments like air to catch up with the US and China (but not overtake them!) right away. In many European countries, economic growth is crawling to the bottom, if not already at the bottom. Technological innovations are not connected with our part of the world.” According to Kuisz, the slow collapse of the Schengen zone will be just another step in the fight against national egoism.

“The policy of Paris and Berlin is becoming increasingly provincial,” the Polish political scientist continues. “The last bold ideas for deepening the EU belonged to the young Emmanuel Macron, now it is more history. Helplessness is accompanied by impatience. Some voters demand effective solutions here and now, preferably ones that can be made visible. Perhaps this is why solutions are increasingly sought – as in the case of the border issue – in the programmes of national populists, many of whom, deep down, simply want to liquidate the European Union.”