Deputy FM: blocking Poland's EU voting rights 'unrealistic'

The statement followed comments by European Commission vice President Jyrki Katainen,who said that the European Union could freeze Poland's voting rights unless the government agrees to stick to the rule of law.

Szymański said that such a move by the EU was unlikely.

“If [Poland] did not comply, there would be a basis for such considerations,” Szymański said on Monday evening.

He added that “there is no controversy as to the rule of law” between Poland and the European Commission, because this is “the guiding principle of the Polish constitution”.

Szymański added there had been what he described as an inadequate reaction by the Commission to actions by the previous government in Poland over changes to the Constitutional Tribunal, among other issues.

In December, the Commission said that the appointment of a new head at Poland’s top court was “fundamentally flawed”, and called on Warsaw to reverse changes to the country’s Constitutional Tribunal.

The Commission gave Warsaw two months to reply.

The Polish foreign ministry said that recently adopted changes to the law on the Constitutional Tribunal are in line with European standards.

A rule-of-law probe launched by the European Commission last year could in theory lead to Brussels imposing penalties on Warsaw, but any such move would have to be backed unanimously by EU member states. Hungary has said it would not support sanctions. (rg/pk)