Polish opposition to propose its own judicial reforms
PR dla Zagranicy
Victoria Bieniek
26.07.2017 08:30
Three of Poland's opposition parties are to form a joint commission to start working on proposals for new judicial reforms after summer following the president's veto of two controversial bills.
PO leader Gregorz Schetyna, PSL MP Piotr Zgorzelski, PSL leader, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, Modern leader Ryszard Petru, Modern MP Kamila Gasiuk-Pihowicz and former Justice Minister Borys Budka. Photo: PAP/Jacek Turczyk.
Poland's largest opposition party, the Civic Platform (PO) is to join forces with the Modern party and Polish People's Party (PSL) on the project and has announced it will discuss its planned changes to the justice system with experts.
Together the parties hold 178 of the lower house's 460 seats.
The joint commission's proposals are set to rival a pair of bills promised by Polish President Andrzej Duda on Monday after he announced he would veto government-backed bills that would have given parliament and the president more powers in appointing justices to the Supreme Court and a judges' ethics council.
The government-backed bills, along with a law signed on Tuesday to give the justice minister authority to appoint and dismisses district and appeals court judges, sparked protests around Poland and drew criticism from abroad.
Thousands of Poles picketed outside the lower house and presidential palace for more than a week.
Like the conservative government, the opposition has promised its reforms will lower court costs and speed up decisions.
Poland’s ruling conservatives have said that sweeping changes are needed to reform an inefficient and sometimes corrupt judicial system, accusing judges of being an elite, self-serving clique often out of touch with the problems of ordinary citizens. (vb/pk)
Source: PAP