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EU warns Poland over threat to Rule Of Law; sanctions possible

(Vatican Radio) The European Union has issued a formal warning to Poland saying it is threatening the rule of law, a move that could lead to sanctions, prompting the Polish right-wing government to say it wants urgent talks with the EU and the opposition.Listen to the report by Stefan Bos: The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, says Poland's government is not following the rule of law as required the 28-nation European Union. That official warning could lead to member state Poland being stripped of its EU voting rights.Yet, Commissioner Frans Timmermans has defended that decision. "As you know the European Union is build upon a common set of values, enshrined in the treaty. These values include respect of the rule of law," he said.That's how this organization functions, that's how our member states ensure the equal application of EU law across the European Union. Making sure that the rule of law is preserved is a collective responsibility of the...

(Vatican Radio) The European Union has issued a formal warning to Poland saying it is threatening the rule of law, a move that could lead to sanctions, prompting the Polish right-wing government to say it wants urgent talks with the EU and the opposition.

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, says Poland's government is not following the rule of law as required the 28-nation European Union. That official warning could lead to member state Poland being stripped of its EU voting rights.Yet, Commissioner Frans Timmermans has defended that decision. "As you know the European Union is build upon a common set of values, enshrined in the treaty. These values include respect of the rule of law," he said.

That's how this organization functions, that's how our member states ensure the equal application of EU law across the European Union. Making sure that the rule of law is preserved is a collective responsibility of the EU institutions and of all member states."        

He explained that the EU has been having inconclusive talks with the Polish government since it announced a preliminary assessment of Poland's new laws in January.

Critics of the right-wing Polish government have been angry at changes it made to the country's top court, leaving it, they say, in effect unable to review and veto legislation.

"SURPISED AND SADDENED"

Poland's Justice Minister and Prosecutor General Zbigniew Ziobro said he was "surprised and saddened" by the European Commission's position.

However the Polish government also said it wants to have a dialogue with the EU and the opposition to end the dispute, and Commissioner Timmermans suggested that fresh talks were underway. "Just last night I spoke with Prime Minister  and I am please that she confirmed that she she wants our dialogue to continue. However despite our best efforts until now we have not been able yet to find solutions to the main issues at stake," he said.

"To briefly refresh your memory, the issues that concern us are the composition of the Constitutional Tribunal, Poland's highest court, the publication of its judgements and the respect for them, and the reform of the court's functioning under a law known as the Constitutional Tribunal Act," Timmermans  added during a news conference.  

Poland's right-wing Law and Justice party government came to power in October last year. Since it made changes to the way the country's constitutional operates, it soon ignored the court's rulings, including one that found that the changes themselves were unconstitutional.

MEDIA CRACKDOWN

The government has also come under pressure over a perceived crackdown on media, after effectively increasing control over public media, prompting massive protests.

Opposition supporters claim Poland follows the example of Hungary, where Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has come under international pressure over his perceived autocratic style.

Last month, former president Bill Clinton condemned the government of both former Communist countries. “Poland and Hungary, two countries that would not be free but for the United States and the long Cold War, have now decided this democracy is too much trouble,” Clinton said during a campaign stop in New Jersey on behalf of his wife, Hillary, the front-runner for
the Democratic presidential nomination. “They want Putin-like leadership: Just give me an authoritarian dictatorship and keep the foreigners out. Sounds familiar?”

Yet the governments of both EU nations have strongly condemned his remarks and the ruling Polish party leader even suggested that Clinton should see a doctor.

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