New law gives Minister more control over judiciary

Under the law, the Minister will be able to appoint an "acting" chairman of a court in which the post becomes vacant even in the face of opposition from the judges' association, and to keep him in this position indefinitely. Also, court chairmen themselves will have significantly greater powers in assigning cases to judges. The law also gives the Minister the right to remove a judge from a case where, "The dignity and interests of the judiciary" demand it (a power which has until now been vested in the court chairman) and, perhaps most controversially, allows judges and prosecutors to be subjected to the fast-track procedure in stripping them of immunity from prosecution when suspected of crimes carrying a prison sentence of eight years or more. "It is a major step towards cleaning up the judiciary" said government MPs. "It is unprecedented. A law has been passed which experts, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, found unconstitutional on seven counts!" retorted opposition MPs. (Gazeta Wyborcza, p. 1) R.M.