Polish official hits out at leak of watchdog report

Krzysztof Szczerski, a senior foreign policy adviser to Polish President Andrzej Duda, told Polish Radio: “Perhaps this leak arose in order to make it impossible (for the Venice Commission) to change its position” in its full report.

The Venice Commission is expected to adopt a final report by 12 March.

Szczerski ruled out that the leak of the preliminary report came from the government in Warsaw, Polish Radio reported.

The Venice Commission, a constitutional watchdog, last month visited Warsaw to probe whether democratic standards are being upheld by Poland.

According to Polish media, the draft report by the Venice Commission said that “as long as the situation of constitutional crisis related to [Poland’s] Constitutional Tribunal remains unsettled and as long as the Constitutional Tribunal cannot carry out its work in an efficient manner, not only is the rule of law in danger, but so is democracy and human rights.”

Meanwhile, in January the European Commission launched an inquiry into whether Poland is upholding the principle of the rule of law and whether controversial legislation pushed through by the country's new Law and Justice (PiS) government – including changes to the judiciary – violates EU standards.

Brussels has said it will work closely with the Venice Commission, which includes experts in constitutional and international law, in assessing developments in Poland. (pk)

Source: Polish Radio