NATO Summit: Obama expresses concern over Constitutional Tribunal

On July 8, the President of the United States Barack Obama expressed concern over Poland's constitutional tribunal deal, saying the government must do more to sustain the democratic values that helped transform the former communist country into a NATO and European Union member. "I expressed to President Duda our concerns over certain actions, and the impasse over Poland's constitutional tribunal," Obama said in a speech at a NATO summit in Warsaw after meeting with Duda. "I insisted that we are very respectful of Poland's sovereignty and I recognize that parliament is working on legislation to take some important steps, but more work needs to be done." The US President continued: "And as your friends and ally we’ve urged all parties to work together to sustain Poland’s democratic institutions. That’s what makes us democracies, not just by the words written in constitutions or in the fact that we vote in elections, but the institutions we depend on every day, such as rule of law, independent judiciaries and a free press." Polish President Duda has not responded to the criticism, while his spokesman Marek Magierowski commented: "President Obama made his statement, president Duda made his. It's difficult to force president Obama to say what this or that politician in Poland would like him to say. I don't see a problem here."