This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/may/14/eu-demands-action-by-poland-government-to-protect-rule-of-law
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| EU demands action by Poland's government to protect rule of law | EU demands action by Poland's government to protect rule of law |
| (7 months later) | |
| Poland could be put in the dock by the EU within weeks over its failure to protect the independence of the country’s judiciary if its rightwing government fails to convince Brussels that it has backtracked on its most controversial legal changes. | Poland could be put in the dock by the EU within weeks over its failure to protect the independence of the country’s judiciary if its rightwing government fails to convince Brussels that it has backtracked on its most controversial legal changes. |
| A meeting of ministers from the 28 member states on Monday was told by Frans Timmermans, the vice-president of the European commission, that the Polish government’s policies remained a threat to the rule of law. | A meeting of ministers from the 28 member states on Monday was told by Frans Timmermans, the vice-president of the European commission, that the Polish government’s policies remained a threat to the rule of law. |
| The attempt by Poland's Law and Justice party to take control of the judicial system should be seen as part of a wider campaign to dismantle democratic checks and balances on the government’s actions, from its takeover of state media to its capture of the country’s constitutional tribunal. | The attempt by Poland's Law and Justice party to take control of the judicial system should be seen as part of a wider campaign to dismantle democratic checks and balances on the government’s actions, from its takeover of state media to its capture of the country’s constitutional tribunal. |
| Jarosław Kaczyński, PiS’s leader, has developed a theory known in Poland as ‘impossibilism’, the idea that no serious reform of Polish society and institutions is possible due to these checks and balances, and what he describes as the vested interests of liberal elites and foreigners intent on exploiting the country. | Jarosław Kaczyński, PiS’s leader, has developed a theory known in Poland as ‘impossibilism’, the idea that no serious reform of Polish society and institutions is possible due to these checks and balances, and what he describes as the vested interests of liberal elites and foreigners intent on exploiting the country. |
| The commission is demanding that Poland remove the discretionary power of its president, Andrzej Duda, to prolong the mandate of supreme court judges, and abandon the extraordinary appeal procedure, which includes a power to reopen final judgments made years earlier. | The commission is demanding that Poland remove the discretionary power of its president, Andrzej Duda, to prolong the mandate of supreme court judges, and abandon the extraordinary appeal procedure, which includes a power to reopen final judgments made years earlier. |
| Despite signs of an improvement in relations between Brussels and Warsaw in recent months, Timmermans told reporters that he was not willing for the dialogue between the commission and Warsaw to be strung out. | Despite signs of an improvement in relations between Brussels and Warsaw in recent months, Timmermans told reporters that he was not willing for the dialogue between the commission and Warsaw to be strung out. |
| A meeting of the same EU ministers next month, in the general affairs council, could establish a hearing at which the commission lays down its case against Poland, and Warsaw would seek to defend itself, Timmermans said. | A meeting of the same EU ministers next month, in the general affairs council, could establish a hearing at which the commission lays down its case against Poland, and Warsaw would seek to defend itself, Timmermans said. |
| That could in time lead to a vote by member states on potential “preventative measures” under the EU’s unused punishment clause, known as article 7, although the commission would not yet be confident of the support of the qualified majority of member states required. | That could in time lead to a vote by member states on potential “preventative measures” under the EU’s unused punishment clause, known as article 7, although the commission would not yet be confident of the support of the qualified majority of member states required. |
| Timmermans, a former Dutch foreign minister, said: “Some progress has been made over the last couple of weeks, but not enough to say that the systemic threat to the rule of law would be removed, so we still need to continue the dialogue. | Timmermans, a former Dutch foreign minister, said: “Some progress has been made over the last couple of weeks, but not enough to say that the systemic threat to the rule of law would be removed, so we still need to continue the dialogue. |
| Despite fears over Law and Justice, Poland is not sliding into dictatorship | Karolina Wigura | |
| “But dialogue is not a goal in itself. Dialogue needs to lead to tangible and robust results. I have also informed the council that this dialogue cannot continue indefinitely, we have to come to some solution at some point. | “But dialogue is not a goal in itself. Dialogue needs to lead to tangible and robust results. I have also informed the council that this dialogue cannot continue indefinitely, we have to come to some solution at some point. |
| “I hope together with the Polish government we can use the next couple of weeks to further find solutions ... You cannot continue endlessly with the dialogue. We shall have to draw a conclusion and that conclusion will be drawn pretty soon.” | “I hope together with the Polish government we can use the next couple of weeks to further find solutions ... You cannot continue endlessly with the dialogue. We shall have to draw a conclusion and that conclusion will be drawn pretty soon.” |
| In a sign that Poland may be unwilling to go further in assuaging commission concerns, after tweaking a number of its reforms, its minister in the meeting Konrad Szymański, however, told reporters: “Poland has made progress, today we expect progress from the European commission”. | In a sign that Poland may be unwilling to go further in assuaging commission concerns, after tweaking a number of its reforms, its minister in the meeting Konrad Szymański, however, told reporters: “Poland has made progress, today we expect progress from the European commission”. |
| Timmermans responded that he was not engaging in “horse-trading”. He had earlier warned that the the “full spectrum” of outcomes would be on the table on 26 June when EU ministers meet. | Timmermans responded that he was not engaging in “horse-trading”. He had earlier warned that the the “full spectrum” of outcomes would be on the table on 26 June when EU ministers meet. |
| He said: “It could be the commission and Poland make so much progress that we say that there is no longer a systemic threat to the rule of law. It could also be on the other side of the spectrum that we do not advance at all any more and we have to ask the council to engage in the follow-up phase of article 7, which will to be to organise a hearing where the commission and Poland will be able to present their cases. | He said: “It could be the commission and Poland make so much progress that we say that there is no longer a systemic threat to the rule of law. It could also be on the other side of the spectrum that we do not advance at all any more and we have to ask the council to engage in the follow-up phase of article 7, which will to be to organise a hearing where the commission and Poland will be able to present their cases. |
| “The main issue remains how much political control can you have to be able to say that the judiciary is independent,” Timmermans added. | “The main issue remains how much political control can you have to be able to say that the judiciary is independent,” Timmermans added. |
| Poland | Poland |
| Andrzej Duda | Andrzej Duda |
| European Union | European Union |
| European commission | European commission |
| Europe | Europe |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |