EU executive officially criticizes Poland
PR dla Zagranicy
Roberto Galea
02.06.2016 17:00
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EC will help Poland come to a consensus
On Wednesday the European Commission decided to adopt an opinion on the changes to Poland's Constitutional Tribunal saying that they pose “a systemic risk to the rule of law” in Poland.
European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans gives a press breifing at the end of a weekly college meeting of the European Commission in Brussels, on the rule of law in Poland. Photo: EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET
Although Brussels keeps underlining that the talks with the Polish government were “constructive”, the European Commission has chosen to take an unprecedented step.
It was also the first time that the EU executive has officially criticised an EU member state for not complying with the rule of law.
The move still is part of phase one of the rule-of-law procedure, which could lead to sanctions, such as Poland being deprived of its voting rights in the Council.
“Despite our best efforts we were not able to find a solution,” First Vice-president of the European Commission Frans Timmermans said when he announced the Commission’s decision in Brussels.
During a debate held by Euranet Plus later that day Timmermans confirmed that a constructive dialogue has been ongoing for the last four months. "We have given our opinion to the Polish government, where we see possibilities to find a way out,” he said, adding that it “is up to them to act, we can only advise them”.