Poland's deputy prime minister vowed on Tuesday to stick with plans to introduce a new tax on big tech, hitting back at a threat of retaliation from the incoming United States ambassador amid a deepening war of words between Warsaw and Washington.
The dispute intensified after Thomas Rose, the incoming US ambassador to Poland, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday evening. In his post, Rose described the proposed tax as “not very smart” and warned that it would hurt Poland and its relations with the United States. “A self destructive tax that will only hurt Poland and its relations w/USA. President Trump will reciprocate as well he should. Rescind the tax to avoid the consequences!” he wrote.
In an interview with Radio Zet, Gawkowski, who also serves as minister of digital affairs, dismissed Rose’s criticism as an overreach. “It’s sick for somebody to tell another country what legislation it can pass,” he said, adding, “This is standing democracy on its head.”
Meanwhile, Polish Funds Minister Katarzyna Pelczynska-Nalecz, representing the centre-right Poland2050 coalition partner, questioned the timing of the tax. Speaking on state TV, she acknowledged that taxing big tech could be beneficial but called the current timing “incomprehensible” given the potential risks of igniting a trade war.
Gawkowski provided few specifics about the new tax but indicated that it would target profits made by big tech firms in Poland and aim to support the growth of domestic technology companies. His remarks came amid an already volatile atmosphere in US-European relations, fueled by President Donald Trump’s hard-line security and trade policies, which have strained Washington’s ties with traditional allies in the region.
The spat adds to a series of recent high-profile exchanges between US and Polish officials. Last weekend, a public disagreement involving US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, tech billionaire Elon Musk, and Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski erupted after Sikorski suggested that Poland might need to find a new provider for Ukraine’s internet services if Elon Musk’s Starlink were to become unreliable. Poland currently funds Ukraine’s Starlink subscription, a move that has sparked further debate.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk also weighed in on social media, cautioning Poland’s “friends” against “arrogance” in their dealings, while the nationalist opposition party Law and Justice (PiS) criticized the government’s approach, arguing that it was harming relations with Poland’s most important ally.
As the situation develops, Poland’s resolve to implement its big tech tax underscores a broader clash over economic policy and national sovereignty, set against the backdrop of an increasingly complex transatlantic relationship.
Cuba’s fuel crisis has turned into a waste crisis, with garbage piling up on most street corners in Havana as many collection trucks lack enough pet...
Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned on Monday that what he described as “illegal” Israeli measures in the occupied West Bank risk undermining de-es...
Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor renowned for his steely intensity and commanding performances in films including The Godfather and Apocalypse N...
Day 10 of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics delivered high-stakes semifinals, dramatic finishes and classic podium moments across Milan and the ...
Geneva is set to host two sets of negotiations on Tuesday, with U.S. officials meeting Iranian representatives in the morning and a trilateral session...
Polish prosecutors have requested a European arrest warrant for former Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, who was granted political asylum in Hungary last month, amid allegations of large-scale misuse of public funds and abuse of power.
A drone incident at a military base in Przasnysz has triggered a police inquiry in Poland as security agencies across Europe confront a growing number of unauthorised devices entering restricted airspace.
Poland will begin phasing out the special residence and welfare rules granted to Ukrainians who fled the war with Russia, shifting them onto the country’s standard legal framework for foreign nationals from March, the government said on Tuesday.
Poland plans to expand its armed forces to 500,000 by 2039, including 300,000 active-duty troops and 200,000 reservists, officials said Friday. The enlarged force would feature a new high-readiness reserve unit.
U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said China has the power to bring an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine, arguing that Beijing is enabling Moscow’s military campaign.
Austria’s Janine Flock won the gold medal in the women’s skeleton event at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Saturday.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani said the United States could evaluate its own interests separately from those of Israel in ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday (15 February) called it “troubling” a report by five European allies blaming Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny using a toxin from poison dart frogs.
Israel’s National Guard is preparing to deploy drones capable of firing tear gas at Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as part of security preparations ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Israeli Channel 12 reported on Saturday.
Millions of Colombian roses have arrived in the United States just in time for Valentine’s Day, keeping the country on track as the world’s second-largest flower exporter. Between 15 January and 9 February, Colombia shipped roughly 65,000 tons of fresh-cut blooms.
Russia’s car market is continuing to receive tens of thousands of foreign-brand vehicles via China despite sanctions imposed after Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a journalistic investigation has found.
Türkiye’s national energy company, TPAO, has struck a new cooperation deal with U.S. energy giant Chevron, signing a memorandum of understanding to explore joint oil and gas exploration and production opportunities, the Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Ministry announced on Thursday.
Wall Street ended sharply lower on Tuesday as investors worried about artificial intelligence (AI) creating more competition for software makers, keeping them on edge ahead of quarterly reports from Alphabet and Amazon later this week.
U.S. stock markets finished mixed on Wednesday (28 January) as investors reacted calmly after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, a decision that had been widely expected and largely priced in.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment