The disciplinary chamber's role is to treat all citizen equally and not to apply separate measures to those who think of themselves as a special caste and regular citizens, said Poland's Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro in response to a new infringement procedure against Poland launched by the European Commission on Wednesday.
The European Commission opened a new infringement procedure against Poland on Wednesday, saying a new disciplinary regime the right-wing government in Warsaw has introduced for judges dealt a blow to judicial independence.
Commenting on the EU Commission's decision, Zbigniew Ziobro addressed its vice president Frans Timmermans.
"If Mr Timmermans decision pertains to situations such as when, in the midts of the dispute over the judiciary, the Supreme Court acquits a thieving judge and allows him to remain being a serving judge and pass rulings, then I understand Mr Timmermans' concerns," said the minister of justice and the prosecutor general.
"Maybe Mr Timmermans was imprecise and he had in mind the examples I've been referring to. In other words, the situations which led us to create the disciplinary chamber in the first place, in order for all the citizens to be treated equally," he added.
"I would gladly ask Mr Timmermans, if the standards he's after, standards he wants to defend and protect, are those that protects thieving judges and criminals?" - asked Ziobro.
He also added that the disciplinary chamber judges are appointed by the National Council of the Judiciary, "which is much less dependent on political influence than in Germany".
Another procedure against Poland
The European Commission opened a new infringement procedure against Poland on Wednesday (April 3), saying a new disciplinary regime the right-wing government in Warsaw has introduced for judges dealt a blow to judicial independence.
Poland's ruling PiS party has pursued an overhaul of the judiciary since sweeping to power at the end of 2015. Under one of the changes judges could be subjected to a disciplinary investigation and ultimately sanctions if authorities deemed their rulings inappropriate.
Warsaw is already subject to an unprecedented EU rule-of-law procedure since end-2017 over its judiciary reforms. The process could result in Poland losing its EU voting rights, though in practice this is unlikely because all other 27 EU member states would have to agree.
The Polish government has two months to reply to the Commission's complaints.
Autor: gf / Źródło: TVN24 News in English, PAP, Reuters