European Parliament LIBE committee chief: rule of law is under threat in Poland

Moraes reminded that the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs visited Warsaw in September. During their visit, MEPs assessed the level of danger posed against the rule of law and fundamental EU values in Poland.

Among many people, the delegation has met with Poland's Chief Justice Małgorzata Gersdorf, thehead of the National Council of the Judiciary, Leszek Mazur, foreign minister Jacek Czaputowicz, members of bothe houses of parliament, as well as with representatives of NGOs and media.

On Monday in the European Parliament, Moraes presented the conclusions from the report that was compiled after the delegation returned to Strasburg. However, not all the delegation members signed the document. There were seven of them and two didn't sign the report: Waldemar Tomaszewski from the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) and Nicolas Bay from the Europe of Nations and Freedom (ENF).

As Moraes argued, the report proves that the reform of the judicial system in Poland created a risk of systemic threat to the rule of law in that country. As examples he mentioned concerns regarding changes to the laws on the Constitutional Tribunal, the common courts and the reform of the Supreme Court.

In conclusion, Moraes said that in the absence of any objections from the chamber, the report was thereby considered as accepted, even though not all fractions supported it.

The committee didn't devote much time to this matter and not many MPs attented the session, despite the fact that the body has a few dozen members. Moraes referred to the small turnout by saying: "I think there's no point in connecting the small turnout to the lack of interest in the issue, as there weren't many people present today from the start of the session". He also thanked the delegation members and the authors of the report.

Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, PAP