Belgium warns Poland “not to play with fire” over EU dispute

By RAF CASERT
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union founding member Belgium warned Poland on Wednesday not to treat the EU like “a cash machine” to boost its economic fortunes while disregarding its democratic and rule of law principles at will. Targeting Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo said he was “playing with fire when waging war with your European colleagues for internal political reasons.” Morawiecki accused the EU of threatening “World War III” for insisting that Poland should respect the independence of the judiciary and the primacy of EU law.