Cross-party leaders calls on Commission to take immediate action on Polish judicial reforms
Poland
The Greens/EFA group has organised a cross-party letter calling on the European Commission to take immediate steps to put the brakes on Polish judicial reforms.
The legislation, which is due to come into force on 3 July, would lead to the enforced retirement of judges over 65, and allow the Law and Justice Party (PiS) to enact a series of reshuffles within the country’s highest courts to strengthen its grip on power.
The letter is signed by the co-presidents of the Greens/EFA group, Ska Keller and Philippe Lamberts, alongside Manfred Weber (EPP), Udo Bullmann (S&D), Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE) and Gabi Zimmmer (GUE/NGL).
It calls for the European Commission to "immediately start an infringement procedure, in parallel to the Article 7 procedure, and refer the Polish Supreme Court Act to the European Court of Justice."
You can find a copy of the letter here: http://extranet.greens-efa-service.eu/public/media/file/1/5644
Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts comments:
“It is no exaggeration to say that democracy is being called into question within the European Union. The separation of powers is an essential bulwark against abuse, but it is being seriously undermined in Poland.
“We welcome the action already taken by Vice-President Timmermans but we must recognise that the results so far have been meagre. The Polish government knows that it can count on its allies in the Council, in particular on Mr. Orban’s Hungary.
“Time is of the essence: if nothing is done soon, then a large part of the Polish Supreme Court will be automatically retired, paving the way for the government to appoint judges in its favour.
“We call on the Commission to use every means in its possession to prevent this from happening, including by referring the matter urgently to the European Court of Justice.”
