The two-day visit of the Head of the Foreign Service started with a meeting with the staff of the Polish Permanent Representation to the Council of Europe and Polish citizens working in this Strasbourg-based organisation. Arkady Rzegocki said that it is a priority for the MFA to steadily increase the representation of Polish citizens at international organisations, including the Council of Europe. A meeting with Polish experts employed at this organisation, which brings together 46 European countries, also focused on their experience and career prospects.

Staff matters and the need to increase Poland’s representation among Council of Europe staff were the key item of talks between the Head of the Foreign Service and Bjørn Berge, the Council of Europe’s Deputy Secretary General, on 17 January 2023. The officials also discussed the challenges posed by the Russian aggression against Ukraine, affecting as they do the achievement of the Council of Europe’s statutory objectives, including with regard to labour matters. The talks furthermore covered the 4th summit of heads of state and government of the Council of Europe, scheduled for 16-17 May in Reykjavik. The last meeting at this level was held in Warsaw in 2005.

 

Łukasz Jasina
MFA Spokesperson