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Polish government furious over censure that could see its EU voting rights taken away

Poland says the move from the EU risks undermining “mutual trust”.

POLAND DISMISSED AS “political” the EU’s decision today to launch unprecedented disciplinary proceedings over its judicial reforms, which Brussels says threaten the rule of law.

The disciplinary procedure could ultimately lead to Poland losing its voting rights in the EU.

“Poland deplores the European Commission’s launch of the procedure foreseen in Article 7, which is essentially political, not legal” in nature, the Polish foreign ministry said in a statement, adding that the move risks undermining “mutual trust”.

Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans told reporters in Brussels that 13 laws adopted by Poland in the space of two years had created a situation where the government “can systematically politically interfere with the composition, powers, the administration and the functioning” of judicial authorities.

Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki shot back on Twitter that “Poland is as devoted to the rule of law as the rest of the EU”.

He said that the “current judiciary reform is deeply needed”, echoing the governing Law and Justice party (PiS), which says the reforms are aimed at banishing the last vestiges of communism from public life nearly three decades after its collapse.

‘Come to its senses’

Morawiecki added that “the dialogue between the Commission and Warsaw needs to be both open and honest. I believe that Poland’s sovereignty and the idea of United Europe can be reconciled.”

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker invited Morawiecki back to Brussels “to continue the discussion” begun at a summit last week, he said on Twitter.

A Polish government spokesperson said that Morawiecki and Juncker were expected to meet on 9 January.

European Council President Donald Tusk meanwhile urged Warsaw to “come to its senses” after Brussels triggered the censure procedure, seen as a “nuclear option” against an EU member state.

“I sincerely hope that the Polish government will come to its senses and not seek a conflict at all cost in a case where it is simply not right,” Tusk said in Krakow, southern Poland, quoted by the Polish PAP news agency.

Tusk, the liberal ex-Polish prime minister and arch-rival of the governing PiS party, added that Wednesday’s “decision (of the Commission) is the consequence of the profound change proposed by the parliamentary majority.”

De-communisation?

The PiS government “adopted a political philosophy according to which democratically chosen political power has the right to place itself above the law, which amounts in practice to the removal of judicial independence in Poland,” Tusk added.

Although it has said it is open to dialogue with the EU, Poland’s government has vowed to push ahead with the controversial reforms.

“We want to continue to reform our judiciary — we owe it to our constituents, it meets the expectations of society,” the foreign ministry said, adding that “we can not accept unilateral and hurtful opinions addressed to Poland”.

The ministry also said that Warsaw was prepared to “defend its positions before the Court of Justice”.

While the PiS government insists its reforms are part of its de-communisation drive, the Venice Commission — a Council of Europe group of constitutional law experts whose rulings member states commit to respect — has also voiced deep reservations.

While Warsaw “speaks of the ‘de-communisation’ of the Polish judicial system, some elements of the reform have a striking resemblance with the institutions which existed in the Soviet Union and its satellites,” the commission said in a recent statement.

© AFP 2017

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    Mute Bill
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    May 17th 2013, 7:25 AM

    Vast majority of the population have no say in the makeup of the Seanad shut it down .

    26
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    Mute Sean O'Sullivan
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    May 17th 2013, 7:08 AM

    Reform me arse! Shut it down!

    22
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    Mute FlopFlipU
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    May 17th 2013, 7:26 AM

    If there were imperfections in the system why were they not ironed out by now ,did it suit to have them there .It,s jobs for the boy,s I think -put them on half pay like the rest of the working people and see
    how many of them turn up

    21
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    Mute Itiswhatitis
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    May 17th 2013, 7:36 AM

    If we could see value . They are just a talking house with no power . The Dail can listen or ignore recommendations. The seante should have the ability to veto and block things.

    13
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    Mute Godblessthecraic
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    May 17th 2013, 7:39 AM

    I can’t wait to vote for its abolition, that’s if Fine Gael keep their election promise……..they wouldn’t lie to get into power would they??

    18
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    Mute gerbreen
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    May 17th 2013, 8:05 AM

    The Seanad has offered little to its citizens for many a year. Reform is not on the agenda as far as the referendum is concerned and has been frowned upon for years. Like the Dail it has a small number of successful people in the real world but they are too few in number and restricted by the whip. Unless I have been missing all these great successes of the upper house – I will be voting for its removal

    16
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    Mute Itiswhatitis
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    May 17th 2013, 7:20 AM

    If I could see value I would be in favour however since FG got in no real change has happened so shut the place down.

    16
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    Mute John Campbell
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    May 17th 2013, 8:10 AM

    Sorry, Senators Quinn and Zappone nice try but the people will not fall for it. Starting debate about changing the Senate is simply a smoke screen to hide the obvious which is that we simply cannot afford it and it serves little purpose save to award political ‘friends’ or groom prospective TDs. I note the proposal is for an ‘in house’ vote to make the change with the citizenry allowed no say. A straight yes or no vote in a referendum will do nicely thank you .

    15
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    Mute Oisín Ó HAlmhain
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    May 17th 2013, 8:41 AM

    Perhaps the fact that the Seanad is used as a consolation prize by some people, and a place to raise profile and become TDs is part of the problem.
    If all seanad nominations had to be in before any Dáil General Election, and no sitting senator was allowed run for the Dáil, then the Seanad might have more respect.

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    Mute John Scott
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    May 17th 2013, 9:43 AM

    there has been lots of reports sitting some where in the big house on REFORM. so SENATORS Quinn Zappone may be u should have a read of them. now get rid if this house an use all 65000e that u all get put it to some good.

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    Mute Alan Burke
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    May 17th 2013, 7:34 AM

    There are more than enough TDs and high ranking civil servants to oversee the tasks outlined above. The Seanad has no place in our political system and should be abolished.

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    Mute Geraldine Lee
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    May 17th 2013, 7:10 AM

    Shitheads

    13
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    Mute Irish Mule
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    May 17th 2013, 12:50 PM

    Can’t wait till this retirement home is shut down.

    9
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    Mute Tom Brennan
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    May 17th 2013, 1:02 PM

    I read it like this “Seanad, …., blah blah, drone on about constitution, waffle, more sh!te talk, blah blah, here is my pay cheque thanks to you taxpayers…”

    Shut the bloody thing down – simples.

    6
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    Mute Scarr
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    May 17th 2013, 9:44 AM

    I’d like to see the Seanad shut down to make way for an innovation fund – one project fully funded for up to 4 years on Seanad money. Project would eventually have to be self funding. or We could start a entrepreneurialism course in school, or programming or product design. Much better uses of money.

    5
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    Mute Brian O'Sullivan
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    May 17th 2013, 10:46 AM

    We can’t abolish the Seanad without seeing some real reform of the Dáil as well. It’s already too easy for the Government to railroad legislation through the Dáil thanks to the whip system, and removing the Seanad will make that even easier.

    If the Government set out their proposals for real reform of the Dáil before the referendum and put mechanisms in places that assure those reforms WILL go through once the Seanad is removed, then I’ll consider voting yes. Until then, I’m voting no, because I just don’t trust the Government being left completely to their own devices to do what’s best for the country.

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    Mute tax slave
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    May 17th 2013, 3:38 PM

    For a small country we are to top heavy . . Too many chiefs not enough Indians .

    3
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