Jaroslaw Kaczynski, who will resign as premier on November 5 to make way for center-right election winner Donald Tusk, has taken a harsh line on negotiations with Russia and Germany during his two years in office. The prime minister has frequently reminded the countries of injustices inflicted by the Nazi regime and the Soviet occupation.
Kaczynski, whose twin brother Lech is expected to stay on as president until 2010, told a news conference that in relations with Russia, "we demand that the [future] government pursue a firm policy to defend Polish national interests."
"A refusal to pursue such a policy would be more than a political mistake," he warned.
He said his Law and Justice party, which gained 32.11% at Sunday's parliamentary elections, giving it 166 seats in the 460-seat legislature, would be a strong opposition. The elections were held two years early due to a stalled corruption investigation.
Tusk's pro-European Civic Platform, which has pledged to reduce red tape and introduce a flat income tax rate, gained 41.51% of votes, implying 209 seats. His party is expected to form a coalition with the Polish People's Party, also translated as the Polish Peasants' Party.
Kaczynski expressed concern over the enthusiastic reactions in Russia and Germany following his election defeat. He said the Nord Stream gas pipeline, being built from Russia to Germany along the Baltic, bypassing Poland, posed a threat to his country's energy security.
If Civic Platform and the People's Party, which gained 8.91% of votes, form a coalition, the bloc will have 240 seats in the legislature, nine more than the minimum needed for a majority.
The coalition would be able to override any vetoes from President Lech Kaczynski, who shares his brother's conservative platform, traditional Catholic stance on social issues, and confrontational attitude to Russia.
