Obama wants to discuss concerns over ‘quality of Poland’s democracy’

Obama and US Secretary of State John Kerry expect to discuss a range of issues with the Polish authorities in Warsaw, Mark Toner, deputy spokesman for the US State Department, told reporters.

Toner said: “We have a long and very close relationship with Poland. As a fellow democracy and an ally, the United States cares very deeply about Poland.

“And so I think it’s in that regard that Secretary Kerry… and President Obama look forward to having discussions with Poland’s new political leadership about a broad range of issues, bilateral issues and multilateral issues that we engage on together.

“But I think also that would include some of our concerns about the quality of Poland’s democracy.”

In January, the European Commission said it was starting a "rule-of-law" probe into whether controversial laws pushed through by Poland's conservative Law and Justice party, which came to power in October, violate democratic standards.

Poland has been locked in a bitter domestic political row after Law and Justice introduced sweeping reforms to the Constitutional Tribunal and other institutions, prompting anti-government protests and criticism from abroad.

Law and Justice has sharply rebutted criticism that its reforms are anti-democratic. (pk)

Source: IAR