Polish PM slams European Parliament resolution

MEPS voted overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution, which argued that the “effective paralysis” of Poland's Constitutional Tribunal endangers the rule of law, democracy and human rights (513 MEPS were for, 142 against and there were 30 abstentions).

The resolution urged Prime Minister Beata Szydło to publish the court's rulings, thus making them binding.

The Polish prime minister then told national broadcaster TVP that “this is not a resolution against Beata Szydło, against the government, but a resolution against the Polish state.”

She argued that the matter is “a strictly internal affair” and blamed opposition MPs for allegedly exporting the problem.

She likewise stated that rather than concerning itself with Polish affairs, the EU should supposedly be addressing other matters.

“The European Parliament really has a lot of serious problems which it should be dealing with,” she said, mentioning the refugee crisis.

However, opposition party Nowoczesna has argued that it was the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party's conduct and that led to the European Parliament addressing the Polish crisis.

“Poland is one of the largest EU countries - it is the sixth biggest country in the EU,”commented MP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz at a press conference held by Nowoczesna at the Polish parliament.

“We signed treaties in which we committed to the principles of democracy, the rule of law and the protection of human rights.

“All of these rules have been broken by PiS, and these actions by PiS led to the fact that Poland is a subject of debate at the European Parliament, not the actions of any opposition parties.” (nh)

Source: TVP/PAP/