DThe EU Commission is taking action against the national conservative government in Poland over a new law. Executive Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said in Brussels on Wednesday that since 2007 a criminal case has been opened over a controversial commission of inquiry into “Russian influence.”
The law would allow a government-appointed commission to bar politicians from voting. From the point of view of the opposition and many independent critics, it is directed against opposition leader Donald Tusk and is therefore also called “Lex Tusk”. At the end of the year, the House of Representatives and the Senate will be re-elected, and according to current polls, a change of government is possible.
President Andrzej Duda signed the law on May 29, which was passed by a majority vote of the PiS party and its coalition partner. Although he instructed the Constitutional Court to consider it, in the meantime it can be applied.
EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders already expressed “particular concern” last week. “It is impossible to have such a system and not be able to challenge an administrative decision before an independent judge,” Reynders said. He reported this to the Polish Minister for European Affairs and asked him to provide additional information and documents on the legislative process.
By initiating infringement proceedings, the Commission formalized this and set a deadline of two months. He can then ask Poland to make changes. If a country does not sufficiently comply with this, it can file a complaint with the European Court of Justice. So far, it has ruled in favor of the EU Commission on all lawsuits relating to judicial reform in Poland, and in some cases has imposed severe fines.
Source: Frantfurter Allgemeine
