Warsaw – A political dispute is brewing in Poland after Przemysław Czarnek, a candidate for prime minister representing the Law and Justice (PiS) party, sharply criticized renewable energy sources and subsequently announced plans to dismantle the solar panels on his own home.
Czarnek, speaking in Krakow on Saturday, dismissed renewable energy as “OZE-sr-OZE” – a derogatory term – and asserted Poland should prioritize its coal reserves. He stated, “We don’t have any Green Deal, no OZE subsidies. We have our coal mix, our natural resources, and stay away from them.”
The remarks drew a swift and critical response from Radosław Sikorski, Poland’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. Sikorski, responding on X (formerly Twitter), shared an image of his own home’s energy monitoring system, demonstrating that his solar panels were generating more electricity than his household was consuming at the time. He accompanied the image with a pointed comment: “I prefer my OZE-SROZE to a PiS troglodyte.”
Sikorski further escalated the exchange, referring to Czarnek as an “aggressive hypocrite” according to reports from Onet News. The back-and-forth highlights the deep divisions within Polish politics regarding energy policy and the country’s commitment to renewable energy goals.
Czarnek’s announcement to remove his own solar panels adds another layer to the controversy. The move underscores his firm stance against renewable energy sources and his commitment to prioritizing Poland’s traditional energy resources. The case highlights the ongoing debate over energy independence and environmental concerns within the country.
Political analyst Giertych also weighed in on the matter, criticizing Czarnek’s position in a widely shared social media post, according to naTemat.pl. The incident has sparked considerable discussion online, with many users sharing Sikorski’s post and expressing their support for renewable energy.
The debate comes as Poland faces high energy prices, a concern Czarnek addressed in his speech, blaming the current government’s policies for the economic strain. He argued that prioritizing coal would help stabilize prices and prevent job losses.
