Loss for rule of law with Polish RRP plan approved

Today, European Ministers of Finance signed off on the Polish government’s Recovery and Resilience Plan as part of Next Generation EU. This is despite serious concerns about the implementation of reforms linked to restoring the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. 

Damian Boeselager, Greens/EFA negotiator on the RRF and Volt Europa MEP, comments: 

“This is a very bad day for the European Union. It was a fatal mistake for the Commission to recommend the Polish recovery plan for approval and now the Council has doubled down on this mistake, trampling on the duty to uphold the values and laws set out in the Treaties.

“The agreement allows for EU taxpayer funds to be disbursed to the Polish government, while open disregard for the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary is ongoing. We cannot guarantee that EU laws will be enforced if the rule of law is not secured.

“The Commission and the Member States have thrown EU values to the wayside for the sake of political deal making. We will continue to oppose this opportunism and fight for democracy and the rule of law across Europe.“