Polish foreign ministry says US administration statement ‘premature’

US state department spokeswoman Heather Nauert has said that the United States is “concerned” about Poland’s planned overhaul of the justice system, adding that Washington will continue to watch the situation in Warsaw.

According to the Polish foreign ministry, "the fact that the legislative process is still underway makes any such pronouncements premature".

The ministry also said that "the judicial reform bill in question will not affect the independence of courts or judges and seeks only to regain the citizens’ respect for the judiciary".

"Reforms proposed in Poland are in the spirit of judicial systems in other European countries", the ministry added.

The US state department spokeswoman told a briefing on Thursday: “We are concerned about Polish Government’s continued pursuit of legislation that appears to limit the judiciary and potentially weaken the rule of law in Poland”.

“So we continue to watch that situation very carefully,” she added.

She also referred to US President Donald Trump’s visit to Warsaw earlier this month, saying that America’s relationship with the people of Poland is important and that Poland is “a fellow democracy and a close ally”.

On Friday night, Polish senators green-lighted controversial legal changes that, if signed into law, will force all of the Supreme Court’s judges into retirement and give the president powers to choose who to reinstate.

Poland's ruling conservatives have said sweeping changes are needed to reform an inefficient and sometimes corrupt judicial system.

The party’s supporters have criticised Polish courts for taking too long to hear cases, and have accused judges of being an elite, self-serving clique often out of touch with the problems of ordinary citizens.

But opposition MPs and thousands of people who have taken part in nearly a week of protests outside Poland’s parliament have called the planned changes a “coup” and an attack on democracy, accusing the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party of aiming to stack courts with its own candidates and to dismantle the rule of law.

Brussels has also weighed in, saying it was ready to take action against Poland for allegedly violating EU laws.

(str/pk)

Source: Foreign Ministry, PAP