Article author:
Associated Press
WARSAW, POLAND (AP) — This week, after leaders of Poland's conservative political party accused the EU of failing to meet its obligations to Warsaw and threatened reprisals, a deal between Poland and the EU's executive branch began. Tensions rose.
A spokesperson for the European Commission said on Tuesday that EU member state Poland has not yet taken sufficient steps to ensure the democratic principle of an independent judiciary.
The commission blocked multi-billion euro pandemic recovery funds to Poland, accusing the country's government of eroding democratic norms. The EU has a particular interest in the Polish government's restructuring of the national court system and the process of disciplining judges.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, leader of the ruling Law and Justice party, said in an interview published over the weekend that the European Commission had blocked funds during the war in Ukraine. Poland has hosted more Ukrainian refugees than any other country.
“There is a crisis, there is a war. , there is no reason to fulfill its obligations to the European Union," Kaczynski said in an interview with the weekly Sieci.
Kaczynski also accused the commission of trying to divide Poland into submission to Germany.
A funding blockade is painful for Poland, which has struggled to accommodate refugees and inflation is above her 15%. The high cost of living threatens the popularity of the ruling party ahead of elections expected next year. Poland, he said, "has nothing to do but pull out all the artillery in our arsenal and respond." with barrage.
At the insistence of the European Commission, Poland dismantled the so-called Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court. But legal scholars say judges remain vulnerable to suspension and other forms of punishment for their sentences.
"Poland needs to live up to the promises it has made to reform its disciplinary regime," European Commission spokesperson Ariana Podesta said on Tuesday, adding that such changes would be made in the Recovery Fund. pointed out that it is related to the national plan to use
"The new law is an important step....but our preliminary assessment suggests that the judge may question the status of another judge without risking disciplinary action." "There is no guarantee," Podesta said.
