Senate Speaker Grodzki discussed Poland's planned court reforms with EU's Jourova

The Senate Speaker on Wednesday met with the European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova and the European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders. Grodzki was accompanied in Brussels by Deputy Senate Speaker Gabriela Morawska-Stanecka.

Grodzki called the Wednesday's meeting a "working deliberation". "This was a dialogue based on exchanging views, in which we all agreed that the fundamental values of the EU, such as the rule of law, are inviolable. When it comes to the details of the so-called laws on judges, we exchanged opinions with experts on both sides on whether this bill should be amended or possibly rejected and sent back to the Sejm (lower house)," Grodzki said after the meeting with the EC members.

He added that Vera Jourova greeted with delight the fact that the said bills on courts would be evaluated by the Venice Commission.

The amendment, among others of the law on common courts and law on the Supreme Court, assumes introducing disciplinary responsibility for judges for actions or negligence that could result in prevention or obstruct functioning of the justice system, for questionable conduct of judges, as well as public activity violating the principles of freedom of courts and independence of judges.

Furthermore, the bill introduces changes to the procedure of appointing Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Each Supreme Court Justice would be able to put forward their own candidates. In case of problems with choosing candidates due to a lack of quorum, in the final stage of the planned procedure presence of 32 Supreme Court Justices will be enough to validate the vote.

After the bill had reached the Senate, Marshal Grodzki asked the Venice Commission for an opinion on the proposed changes.

Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP