Today, the European Commission decided to refer the case of the Polish Supreme Court law to the European Court of Justice and to ask the CJEU to order Poland to freeze the reform until it has issued a final judgment. Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament support the Commission’s decision, and urged the Polish authorities to respect the rule of law. 

 

The controversial law on the changes to the Supreme Court, which took effect on July 3, forces early retirement on some 40% of the country’s Supreme Court judges, allowing the PiS government to fill the Court with its supporters. 

 

 

“There is no more time to lose. Although the article 7 procedure was launched, we’ve seen the situation in Poland deteriorate even further. Soon there could no longer be an independent judiciary in Poland. That is why we strongly stand by the European Commission’s decision to refer the case to the European Court in Luxembourg.  It is clear that for the nationalist-minded PiS government it was never an option to step back and withdraw from the controversial reforms. They have already destroyed the country’s Constitutional Court and totally politicized the National Council of Judiciary, and since July, they are dismantling the Supreme Court, the last bastion of the Polish judiciary.

 

“Now it’s time for the European Court to act, to defend the rule of law in Poland. It will be for the sake of Poland and Polish citizens. It is also about defending the European project of a Union built on our common, liberal values. We have to make sure that the rights of Poles, as with all EU citizens, to live in a free, open and democratic society are protected.”

 

 

“Having led the European Parliament mission to Poland at the end of last week, both as the Rapporteur and as an S&D MEP, I built up a clear picture of unanswered questions on the critical reforms of the Polish judiciary, which clearly suggest full support for the European Commission’s action. It is now up to the European Parliament to play its full role, as we informed the Polish authorities last week, in providing consent for any actions taken by the Commission and by the member states.

 

“In doing so the Polish people can be clear that S&D MEPs and the Rapporteur have met and spoken with the widest possible cross-section of Polish civil society, NGOs, opposition parties and crucially the government itself. We have done our homework; we have presented our case to journalists. I am clear that the European Commission’s action is justified and now the European Parliament must have a full discussion on the alleged breaches of the treaty.”