We've been promised that the Venice Commission would issue an opinion on planned court reforms in an urgent mode, it should reach Poland on Wednesday or Thursday next week - Senate Speaker Tomasz Grodzki said after a meeting with the representatives of the Commission.
Venice Commission delegation, which includes experts from Bulgaria, Ireland, Sweden and Germany, came to Warsaw on Thursday for two-day talks in order to formulate an opinion regarding planned amendment of laws on Polish courts.
Due to the fact the bill is already being processed by the Senate, the Commission decided to issue its opinion in an expedited mode.
"We've been promised by the head of the delegation the opinion by the Venice Commission would be issued in an urgent mode and it should reach Poland on Wednesday or Thursday next week, so that the senators could still get to hear it," Senate Speaker Grodzki said after meeting the Venice Commission delegation.
He stressed the Commission issues opinions which "obviously aren't binding". "Yet we're making up for what the Sejm failed to do, that is holding as broad consultations as possible within the 30 days we have," he added.
No meeting with the Sejm
The Sejm Information Centre (lower house) informed that due to ongoing session of the house - devoted to important bills - and many planned sessions of Sejm commissions, as well as long-hour voting sessions, it won't be possible to schedule any meetings for the dates desired by the Venice Commission delegation.
It was also said that the planned works on "bill crucial for proper functioning of the state", requires extraordinary commitment from MPs, as well as the Sejm chancellery".
Furthermore, CIS reassured that the Sejm was open to any cooperation with institutions and bodies, including foreing ones.
Finally, CIS informed that the Venice Commission envoys would find all information on all aspects of the planned reform of the judiciary at the Ministry of Justice.
No meeting with cabinet
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz informed on Thursday that there would be no meeting between the cabinet members and the Venice Commission. The decision was made after consulting the prime minister. The request for such meeting was filed by the Venice Commission.
Minister Czaputowicz said in an interview in TVN24 that the Venice Commission's authority "isn't high", and that it wasn't invited to Poland by the government. He added that the delegation didn't have any positive role to play (in Poland). Finally, in his view, by inviting the Commission, Senate Speaker Tomasz Grodzki has overstepped his constitutional authority.
"Marshal of the Senate Tomasz Grodzki invited the Venice Commission only to stir higher political emotions in the country," the spokesman for the government Piotr Müller said on Thursday. He added that he found Senate Speaker's actions "detrimental to Poland's international image".
Venice Commission
The European Commission for Democracy through Law - better known as the Venice Commission as it meets in Venice - is the Council of Europe's advisory body on constitutional matters.
The role of the Venice Commission is to provide legal advice to its member states and, in particular, to help states wishing to bring their legal and institutional structures into line with European standards and international experience in the fields of democracy, human rights and the rule of law.
It also helps to ensure the dissemination and consolidation of a common constitutional heritage, playing a unique role in conflict management, and provides “emergency constitutional aid” to states in transition.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, Venice Commission