Amendments to court law may delay EU funding, EU minister warns senate
Poland's EU minister has warned senators that they risk torpedoing Poland's chances of accessing an EU post-pandemic fund if they submit amendments to a new law on the Polish Supreme Court designed to unblock the funding,
Poland has been barred from an EU post-pandemic economic revival fund on rule of law grounds, largely connected with a disciplinary chamber for judges installed in the Polish Supreme Court, which the European Commission regards as an illegal restriction on judicial independence.
The legislation has already been passed by the Sejm, Poland's lower house, and is now going before the upper house, the Senate.
"Anyone who introduces amendments to the (court law - PAP) will have to take upon themselves the risk of... a breakdown in the process leading up to our accession to the funds. I would advise against any changes," Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk said, the Polish minister for European affairs.
On Monday, Senate committees suggested several amendments to the law.
The Polish government hopes the act will meet the EC's rule of law requirements set down in a list of 'milestones' for Poland to fulfill before it can access the funding.
