EC to raise pressure on Poland - Reuters

The European Commission will ask EU member states to take a stand on whether the Polish government is abusing democratic standards, according to three sources quoted by Reuters. Brussels wants to discuss the case at the upcoming ministerial meeting planned for September 25. The discussion is aimed to see which member states would support invoking Article 7 against Warsaw. Hungary, one of Poland’s last remaining ally in the EU has previously said that it will veto any attempt to punish Poland for the alleged infringement of the rule of law, and Article 7 procedures, which strips member states of voting rights, demands unanimity. Back in July, the European Commission launched legal action against what it sees as Polish government attempts to undermine the independence of judges, an accusation, which the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) government denies. The same month, President Andrzej Duda signed into a law a bill giving the justice minister the power to replace heads of ordinary courts, but after mass protests blocked two other bills which would allow the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) to replace Supreme Court Judges as well as overhaul the National Council of Judiciary (KRS) which would terminate its members' terms with new ones picked by the parliament. The Council has powers to nominate judges, while the Supreme Court confirms the validity of elections, among other tasks. EC to raise pressure on Poland - Reuters The European Commission will ask EU member states to take a stand on whether the Polish government is abusing democratic standards, according to three sources quoted by Reuters. Brussels wants to discuss the case at the upcoming ministerial meeting planned for September 25. The discussion is aimed to see which member states would support invoking Article 7 against Warsaw. Hungary, one of Poland’s last remaining ally in the EU has previously said that it will veto any attempt to punish Poland for the alleged infringement of the rule of law, and Article 7 procedures, which strips member states of voting rights, demands unanimity. Back in July, the European Commission launched legal action against what it sees as Polish government attempts to undermine the independence of judges, an accusation, which the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) government denies. The same month, President Andrzej Duda signed into a law a bill giving the justice minister the power to replace heads of ordinary courts, but after mass protests blocked two other bills which would allow the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) to replace Supreme Court Judges as well as overhaul the National Council of Judiciary (KRS) which would terminate its members' terms with new ones picked by the parliament. The Council has powers to nominate judges, while the Supreme Court confirms the validity of elections, among other tasks.