Rõivas: Election of Poland's Tusk a Positive for Estonia
Estonia PM Taavi Rõivas said his Polish counterpart Donald Tusk, is a positive choice for President of the European Council.
“The Estonian position was that at least one top (EU) posting should go to a candidate in touch with the interests of our region and that has been filled,” Rõivas said, after Tusk was named as the new EC president on Saturday. He will take over from Herman van Rompuy, who made the announcement at a press conference in Brussels this weekend.
“Donald Tusk is a strong ally of Estonia and understands very well the security environment of Europe,” Rõivas said.
ERR correspondent in Brussels Johannes Tralla said Tusk will counterbalance Italian Federica Mogherini, who was named as the EU's new head for foreign affairs, replacing Catherine Ashton. Mogherini is seen by many as too weak on Russia.
Tusk has been Polish prime minister for seven years, and is the only one to win a second term since the collapse of communism in 1989. Poland was the only EU country not to fall into recession as a result of the 2008 financial crisis, and the ensuing European debt and currency turmoil.