I admire and respect Poland: European Commission chief

"I admire and respect Poland,” Juncker told reporters in Brussels. He added he did not want Poles to think that the whole of the EU was against them.

Juncker was speaking after the European Commission announced on Wednesday it was starting a probe into whether controversial laws pushed through by Poland's new Law and Justice (PiS) government violate EU standards.

The unprecedented move by the European Union, which surprised many observers, follows a slew of international criticism over changes introduced by Law and Justice, which was elected in October.

PiS has amended the law on the Constitutional Tribunal and placed the country’s public broadcasters under direct government control. Critics say these moves undermine democracy. The Polish government has fiercely rebutted such claims.

Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydło said that during a debate in the European Parliament on 19 January she would stress that Poland has the right to make sovereign decisions.

Szydło told Poland’s Polsat News station: "I will emphasise in the European Parliament, during the debate, that Poland - like any other country in the European Union - has the right to make sovereign decisions that affect our internal situation.” (pk/rg)

Source: PAP