KRS stays in. Polish judiciary council voted against leaving the ENCJ

Friday is the last day of the KRS session which started on Tuesday. The council voted the motion regarding a possible resigning of the KRS from the ENCJ. The motion was submitted by judge Jarosław Dudicz.

KRS rejected the motion. There were 9 votes against the motion and 7 in favour.

"We're staying. I won't hide that I'm glad, as I voted against (leaving the ENCJ). There were some doubts, but a democratic vote settled the dispute," spokesperson for the KRS, judge Maciej Mitera told the journalists.

Judge Mitera added "the important thing is that we're still in the structure, as that's what the majority wanted".

Poland was suspended from the European Network of Councils for the Judiciary (ENCJ), made up of national bodies that guarantee judicial independence. It decided the Polish National Council of the Judiciary was no longer independent as it is now appointed by politicians.

The forced retirement of judges in Poland has been criticised by the EU, rights groups and the domestic political opposition. Poland's Supreme Court itself has asked the European Court of Justice, the EU's top court, to rule on whether the early retirement was legal.

An ECJ ruling may take months. In the meantime, the Polish Supreme Court ruled that the proposed changes should be frozen. However, President Andrzej Duda, a PiS ally, has moved to appoint new Supreme Court judges anyway.

The European Commission decided this week to take Poland to the top European Union court over court reforms the EU says could threaten the independence of the Polish judiciary, a senior EU official said.

Poland will be referred to the EU Court of Justice for its reform of the Supreme Court. Warsaw argues the changes were legal.

The Commission's move is the third step in a lengthy procedure to sanction member states who breach EU law.

KRS nie przyjęła wniosku. 9 głosów było przeciw przyjęciu wniosku, 7 za. (http://www.tvn24.pl)

Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 International, PAP