Radosław Sikorski, the Polish Foreign Minister, emphasizes that the democratic regression in Hungary and Poland complicates the admission of new members to the EU, in the context of rising populism.

Radosław Sikorski, the Polish Foreign Minister, stated that the democratic regression under the current leadership of Hungary and the previous government of Poland has made Brussels hesitant regarding the admission of new members to the European Union. In an interview, he discussed the rise of populism in Europe, mentioning that although anti-EU sentiment is a problem, 80% of the Polish population still supports the Union. Sikorski highlighted the economic benefits of Poland's accession to the EU but warned that candidate countries will face difficulties in accessing these advantages due to the legacy of populist parties. He criticized the former Polish administration, Law and Justice (PiS), for hindering the accession of Moldova and Ukraine through actions that scared the rest of Europe.

His comments come in the context of a recent report from the European Commission that assessed the progress of candidate countries for accession, identifying serious obstacles. Sikorski mentioned that the EU's proposals for a probationary period for new members are part of the populist legacy and that future members will have to meet stricter accession criteria.