23:17 27 January 2021
EU sets Poland new ultimatum in judicial freedom case
The European Commission on Wednesday (January 27) gave Poland a month to halt the work of a disciplinary chamber accused of posing a threat to judicial independence after Warsaw ignored earlier complaints.
The government-appointed chamber, created in 2017 to sanction judges, is one of many controversial legal reforms introduced by Poland’s right-wing Law and Justice (PiS) party since it took office in 2015.
“The Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court continues to take a grip on Polish judges and threatens their independence,” EU justice commissioner Didier Reynders said in a statement.
“I am determined to take strong action to ensure that all courts in the European Union can exercise their powers in full independence as required by EU law,” he added.
The EU executive gave Poland a month “to take the necessary measures to comply with EU law” or warned it could again take Warsaw to the European Court of Justice (ECJ).
“Today’s decision is a further step, which I am confident will bear fruit,” Reynders said.
The move from the EU is part of an “infringement procedure” it launched in April against Poland’s legal reforms, the fourth challenge lodged by Brussels since the conservative government began seeking oversight of the work of judges.
(EURACTIV)
