Von der Leyen assures Warsaw won’t receive Next Generation funds if it doesn’t reform its justice system, endangering magistrates’ independence
The Polish recovery plan will be subject to specific milestones and its adoption does not mean that the European Union (EU) proceedings against the country will stop. That said the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, on Tuesday before the European Parliament, where she had to explain the green light from Brussels for the recovery plan presented by Warsaw.
The EU has made the disbursement of the €35.4 billion in Next Generation funds conditional on major reforms in the Polish legal system. In particular, Brussels calls for the abolition of the Supreme Court Disciplinary Chamber and its replacement with an independent court. “The disciplinary regime applicable to judges needs to be reformed and the magistrates who have been unfairly dismissed should return to work before 2023,” said von der Leyen.
European funds will only reach the country if these conditions are met. They will not receive a euro sooner,” stated the chairman of the European Executive. He also emphasized that agreeing to the recovery plan to digitize and reform the country does not mean that open European proceedings against the Polish authorities will stop.
In concrete terms, Von der Leyen referred to the rulings of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) on disciplinary law for judges. The Supreme Court concluded that this system jeopardizes judicial independence in the country and ordered Poland to pay a fine of 69 million euros, which has not yet been paid. “Those penalties are binding and Brussels will continue to apply the daily sanctions until Poland complies.”
The Luxembourg court has also opened another case against the country for its refusal to close a coal mine that pollutes the groundwater reaching the Czech Republic. In this case, the amount to be paid reaches 45 million euros and that amount increases by 500,000 euros per day until the debt is paid.
Warsaw’s many challenges for Brussels and European justice have sparked a heated debate in the European Parliament on whether or not it is appropriate to approve Poland’s recovery plan. Some MEPs spoke of Poland’s “blackmail” and accused the country of “not defending” European values.
Source: La Verdad
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