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European Parliament set to adopt a resolution on Poland

PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk 07.04.2016 16:21
The European Parliament is expected next Wednesday to adopt a resolution on Poland, which is locked in a political row over the powers of its Constitutional Tribunal.
European Parliament, Strasbourg. Photo: dr. avishai teicher/Wikimedia Commons European Parliament, Strasbourg. Photo: dr. avishai teicher/Wikimedia Commons

A draft document is still being hammered out in talks between the factions in the European Parliament.

The resolution is to call on the European Commission to undertake efforts to end the constitutional crisis gripping Poland, according to the PAP news agency.

Polish Radio reported that the draft resolution in its current form calls on the European Commission to make immediate efforts to ensure verdicts by Poland's Constitutional Tribunal are respected, in line with recommendations by the international Venice Commission.

The European Commission in January launched an inquiry into whether Poland is upholding the principle of the rule of law and whether controversial legislation pushed through by the conservative Law and Justice government violates EU standards.

“The resolution concerns the activities of the Polish government, but it is not aimed against Poland," the PAP news agency quoted a senior politician from the European People's Party (EPP) as saying.

"At the request of the parties [the resolution] has been narrowed down to [focus on] the findings of the Venice Commission,” the politician, who wanted to remain anonymous, added.

On 11 March, the Venice Commission, an influential international watchdog, urged the Polish government to respect a ruling by the country's Constitutional Tribunal.

The Commission, an advisory group to rights body the Council of Europe, also warned that the rule of law, democracy and human rights were in danger in Poland “as long as the Constitutional Tribunal cannot carry out its work in an efficient manner.”

The Polish Constitutional Tribunal on March 9 rejected a series of controversial changes to the way it functions introduced by the Law and Justice (PiS) party, which came to power in October.

Critics say the PiS-backed changes to the Constitutional Tribunal were designed paralyse the court's work.

Law and Justice says it came to power with a democratic mandate for sweeping change, and it would be unfair if the tribunal, with a majority of judges appointed by the previous parliament, blocked key reforms that PiS pledged in the run-up to its landslide election victory.

The European Parliament vote on a resolution next Wednesday will not be accompanied by a debate about Poland. (pk)

Source: PAP/Polish Radio

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