As the European Parliament campaign draws slowly to a close, the PiS has started talking about the Europe it wants.

'Europe needs new initiatives, Europe needs fresh air,' leader Jarosław Kaczyński stressed Saturday, presenting his party as that of 'conservatives who want reforms.'

Besides Mr Kaczyński, the speakers at a rally at Warsaw's Palladium cinema included ex-Czech prime minister and leader of the centre-right ODS party Miroslav Topolanek (whom moderator Michał Kamiński welcomed in Czech), and David Cameron, leader of Britain's Conservative Party, tipped by many as a future British prime minister.

The three politicians announced that following the 7 June elections they would form a new group in the European Parliament. According PiS spokesperson Adam Bielan, it is to be the assembly's third or four largest group, after the Christian democrats and the socialists and on a par with the liberals.

'We have made a great step towards a better Europe today,' Mr Kaczyński said.

'European institutions should be effective, economical, and aid cooperation between member states. They should never interfere with individual rights or the free market,' stressed the PiS leader. He added the new parliamentary group would fight red tape and excessive regulation.

Mr Topolanek said that there were differences between the ODS, the PiS and the Tories, but that they shared a common vision of European integration and the slogan 'More freedom, more realism.'

'The Lisbon Treaty is dead,' said the ex-Czech prime minister.

Mr Cameron said that a 'strong centre-right group will emerge in the European Parliament, forming an alternative to federalist views.'

'Such is our vision towards an open, modern and flexible EU. European nations expect nation states from the EU, not a United States of Europe,' he added.

'It is only on the basis of common sense that we can have good institutions that work well, serving the people. I believe that all our parties here represent a common-sensical approach,' Mr Kaczyński said Saturday.

Not a word was said about the Civic Platform and Germans challenging Poland's borders. On Sunday, the theme returned.

'The gentlemen at the PO obviously like to stand at attention and shout "Yes, Sir!" not to say it in another language,' Mr Kaczyński said at a rally in Białystok.

'The elections will determine whether Poland is represented by people suffering from a national inferiority complex, or by proud and brave Poles who have the courage to demand the rights our nation is entitled to. If Europe is to be strong, it has to be Christian. And today it is anti-Christian, and especially anti-Catholic,' the PiS leader said.

Germans were mentioned too: 'I've visited a 70-hectare dairy farm. It is run by good Polish farmers. They receive 35,000 zlotys in direct subsidies per year. A German farm of the same size receives 100,000 zlotys.'

Translated by Marcin Wawrzyńczak