Logo Polskiego Radia

EU ministers to probe Poland over rule of law

PR dla Zagranicy
Grzegorz Siwicki 26.06.2018 09:30
EU ministers meeting in Luxembourg were on Tuesday expected to hold a hearing on Poland’s alleged rule-of-law breaches, moving forward with a punitive procedure that the government in Warsaw says is unjustified.
Photo: Activedia/pixabay.com/CC0 Creative CommonsPhoto: Activedia/pixabay.com/CC0 Creative Commons

The European Commission, the executive arm of the 28-nation European Union, in December took the unprecedented step of triggering Article 7 of the EU Treaty against Poland, stepping up pressure on Warsaw over controversial changes to the judicial system by the country’s ruling conservatives.

The move meant that the EU’s executive wanted the bloc’s member states to declare that the rule of law in Poland was under threat. That could potentially pave the way for sanctions being imposed on Poland.

The Polish government has since moved to modify the disputed legal changes.

But the European Union’s executive earlier this month requested that the EU General Affairs Council -- which is mainly made up of the European affairs ministers from all member states -- hold a "formal hearing" focusing on concerns that the governing conservatives have eroded the rule of law in Poland.

Poland ready to defend its position: FM

Ahead of Tuesday’s unprecedented hearing at the General Affairs Council meeting, Poland’s Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said the government in Warsaw had "the right to reform” the country's judiciary and was "not doing anything wrong.”

Czaputowicz told public broadcaster TVP Info on Monday that legal changes in Poland had been portrayed by the European Commission “unfairly and untruthfully.”

He said Poland was ready to defend its position during the hearing and to "present things the way they really are."

Czaputowicz has previously said that Poland would "emphasise [its] right to carry out reforms and that these are compliant with EU standards."

During a debate on Poland in the European Parliament in Strasbourg earlier this month, European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans reiterated criticism of court reforms in Poland, saying they threatened the independence of the judiciary.

Czaputowicz said in mid-May that there was little room for further compromise with Brussels.

A senior aide to the Polish president last week slammed Timmermans for being "interested in escalating" the rule-of-law dispute between Brussels and Warsaw.

(gs)

Source: IAR

tags: rule of law
Print
Copyright © Polskie Radio S.A About Us Contact Us