EU commissioner tells Poland ‘door for dialogue’ on judicial reform is open

The door to a dialogue between Poland and the European Union on judicial reform is open, EU Values and Transparency Commissioner Vera Jourova said on Tuesday. The EU hopes to find a long-term solution to tensions between Warsaw and Brussels, the politician added.

Since coming to power in 2015, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party introduced a series of judicial reforms which critics and EU officials say may breach the rule of law.

Jourova was in Warsaw to meet officials, including Poland’s Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro, to discuss reforms to the judicial system, including a new law that critics say would muzzle judges, Reuters reports.

The threat for Poland is that Brussels may limit funding for countries that infringe the rule of law, according to Polish Senate speaker Tomasz Grodzki. The opposition politician was one of the first officials to meet Jourova on Tuesday.