Poland’s rule of law: Lower-Upper house row
The Justice and Human Rights Committee in the lower house (Sejm) of the Polish parliament expressed a negative opinion on the upper house’s (Senat) resolution that rejected the amendment to the court laws.
The laws extend the disciplinary liability of judges and introduce changes in the procedure for selecting the chief of the Polish supreme court.
As many as 14 committee members voted in favor of the negative opinion regarding the Senat resolution, 10 were against, no abstentions.
Earlier, members of the committee did not agree to a break in the meeting until the decision of Thursday of the three chambers of the Supreme Court, which was requested by MEP Barbara Dolniak.
The position of the Senat on the amendment was presented by the deputy speaker of this chamber Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka, of the “Spring” political party. In the Senat's view, the amendment violates the constitution and is contrary to Poland's obligations in the European Union.
"The Act also questions Poland's participation in the legal dimension of the EU and the Council of Europe. The Act introduces unacceptable tools for interfering in judicial independence as well as freedom of speech and association of judges,” Morawska-Stanecka indicated.
(PAP)
