Supreme Court Board members won't take part in sessions until Disciplinary Chamber dissolves

The statement was signed by eight Justices from three Supreme Court chambers: Dariusz Dończyk and Agnieszka Piotrowska from the Civic Chamber; Michał Laskowski, Jarosław Matras and Barbara Skoczkowska from the Criminal Chamber; and Piotr Prusinowski, Bohdan Bieniek and Krzysztof Rączka from the Labour Law and Social Security Chamber.

In the statement, the signatories announce they cease to take part in the works of the Supreme Court Board until the Disciplinary Chamber has fully ceased to operate, which would mean that the Court of Justice of the EU rulings from July 14 and 15, 2021 have been implemented.

The Supreme Court Board is composed of the First President of the Supreme Court, Presidents of the five Supreme Court chambers, and ten Supreme Court Justices elected for 3-years terms.

On July 15, the Court of Justice of the European Union said that the disciplinary system for judges in Poland was against the EU law. The day before, the CJEU had ordered Poland to suspend applying all provisions regulating the operations of the Disciplinary Chamber, including the authority to lift judges' immunities.

Despite this ruling, the Disciplinary Chamber keeps on adjudicating. Last week, the chamber decided to lift judge Marek Pietruszyński's immunity.

In mid-August, the Polish government said in a letter to the EU Commission that the country would continue justice system reforms, also in the scope of judges liability. The Council of Ministers also informed that it would dissolve the controversial chamber in its current form.

In early September, the European Commission informed that it has asked the CJEU to impose financial penalties on Poland for not acting in accordance with the interim measures from July 14.