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18 Dec, 2019 01:19

Poland may leave EU due to simmering row over judicial reform – supreme court

Poland may leave EU due to simmering row over judicial reform – supreme court

Poland may be forced to part ways with the EU if a controversial judicial reform championed by the ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) comes to fruition, despite vocal opposition from Brussels, Poland’s Supreme Court warned on Tuesday.

“Contradictions between Polish law and EU law... will in all likelihood lead to an intervention by the EU institutions regarding an infringement of the EU treaties, and in the longer perspective [will lead to] the need to leave the European Union,” said the court, which has been at odds with the right-wing government since 2015, when PiS rose to power.

EU institutions, namely the European Commission, have been up in arms over the judicial overhaul, which its critics argue would give the PiS sway over the country’s judiciary. The draft law, which is now in parliament, will see judges barred from questioning the independence of their peers who were appointed by the government-controlled panel. Judges could also face repercussions for engaging in ‘political activity’ under the new law.

The commission said on Tuesday that it “continues to follow the situation closely,” and is still looking forward to talks with Warsaw to “resolve the issue at hand.”

The PiS insists the reform would help to fend off corruption.

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