"The law violates the principle of democracy". Debate on "Lex Tusk" in EU parliament

The law provides to allow a panel to investigate whether the opposition Civic Platform (PO) party let the country to be unduly influenced by Russia, and as a result become too dependent on its fuel when it was in power.

The liberal PO, in government from 2007 to 2015, rejects the claims and says the law is designed to destroy support for its leader and former prime minister Donald Tusk ahead of an election scheduled for October or November.

The bill would set up an investigative commission that could deliver an initial report in September. Opposition figures have nicknamed it Lex Tusk, using the Latin word for law. Critics say a new bill could result in banning opposition politicians from public office.

"Following a thorough assessment, the Commission decided at the end of June to open an infringement procedure against Poland," said European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders.

"Among others, the Commission considers that the new law violates the principle of democracy, as well as the principles of legality and the non-retroactivity of sanctions. Poland has been given 21 calendar days to reply to the letter of formal notice," he added.

Reynders also said that since the last debate in LIBE (European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs), he had continued "to exchange with the Polish government and the Minister for European Affairs". "And I want to inform you that I've received different comments about the fact that now there is a series of amendments tabled to the Polish Parliament to change such a law and with an important decision to not select members of the commission until the new laws or the new amendment will enter into force."

"These are classic autocratic tactics. We have seen and discussed many of those here in the past but the latest and most extreme example is the so-called "Lex Tusk", clearly designed to remove the opposition from the playing field altogether," Jeroen Lenaers, a Dutch member of the European People's Party (EPP).

"It is the culmination of eight years of the authoritarian system developed in Poland for those eight years. And it may officially be called a committee on Russian influence, but it should be called a committee on Russian inspiration, because trying to remove, trying to make your political opponents disappear, that is exactly what Putin does in Russia. And if we want to prevent European Navalnys in the future, we need to act now," Lenaers stressed.

Poland's former prime minister Beata Szydło said "the rule of law in Poland is not being broken. We have no such problem in Poland".

It is the opposition that has a problem with itself and they cannot accept the democratic choice of Poles who gave power to Law and Justice (party) in 2015 and in 2019 extended this mandate. They have been attacking and starting the fights, unfortunately also using the European institutions. So this discussion makes no sense," she added.

"As a former prime minister and the European Member of Parliament from Poland, who has received support from over half a million of Polish citizens, I would like to say it clearly Mister Commissioner, that Poland is not and will not be a whipping boy. Poland will not be terrorised by your attacks and punishments."

"What we are experiencing right now is just another step to tighten the grip of authoritarian rule in Poland," said Terry Reintke, a German member of European Free Alliance.

"After the politicization of the judiciary, the takeover of public media, attacking minorities, the restriction of fundamental rights, including access to lifesaving abortion care, now the next attacks on rule of law and democratic standards are underway in Poland. By meddling with electoral law and trying to intimidate the democratic opposition with an investigative committee that can even prevent candidates from taking up office," Reintke added.

A non-attached MEP from Hungary, Balazs Hidvegi, stood in defence of Poland's government. "And a word to my colleagues in the EPP (European People's Party), the PO (Polish opposition party, Civic Platform) who are behind this latest attack, you are mistaken to think that if you fail to win elections at home, then the thing to do is to come here to Strasbourg or Brussels, get together with all kind of radical left-wingers and attack your own country and your own countrymen here," he said.

"It's not going to produce a majority for you because the Polish people don't like this attitude. Just like the Hungarians also reject this attitude. You should win elections based on your own merit. Stop attacking your countrymen here in Strasbourg in the European Parliament. It is the wrong thing to do," Hidvegi added.