Central Europe: The Arena of Energy Competition in the Political Thought of the Law and Justice Party

Abstract

Central Europe was a focal point of international engagements for Law and Justice party. A paramount facet of their strategic agenda entailed the pursuit of energy security, stemming from a pragmatic appraisal of the international environment. This political party identified the imperialistic foreign policy of the Russian Federation, leveraging energy sources to advance its objectives, as the preeminent menace to political sovereignty. The cognitive aim of the article was to examine the political thought of Law and Justice party towards the role and importance of key international actors (the Russian Federation and the United States of America) in ensuring the energy security of Central European countries. The starting point of the analysis was the thesis that Law and Justice party treated the Central European region as a key area of political activity, and the energy projects implemented were aimed at reducing the importance of the Russian Federation in the region. Concurrently, these initiatives aimed to ensure, within the ambit of diversifying energy sources and routes, the importation of energy commodities supply from the US.