Poland asks Council of Europe about constitutional court

Witold Waszczykowski, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, has asked the Council of Europe's Venice Commission to express its opinion about the amendment to the law on the Constiutional Tribunal adopted on December 22. "The Constitutional Tribunal is one of the important elements of Poland's institutional order and the controversy surrounding it should be ended as soon as possible," the Foreign Ministry statement read. According to the amendment, the tribunal's rulings are to be passed with a two-thirds majority with 13 out of 15 judges present and voting. In the previous version of the law, verdicts were passed with a simply majority with five judges present or nine in cases of particular importance. The opposition says that the new law will paralyze the constitutional court and would undermine democratic checks and balances. The Council of Europe reports have no direct legal consequence, but EU policymakers work closely with the organization.