Hard clash with Polish prime minister in Brussels | Abroad
Morawiecki had personally come to parliament to debate the rule of law crisis surrounding his country. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, kicked off the debate with an assurance that the composite is investigating what measures can be taken against Poland. “We cannot and will not prevent our common values from being threatened,” she said.
The EU’s executive board has a number of options, including freezing EU money for Poland or going back to the EU court. 36 billion euros, the committee has not approved.
von der Leyen
Poland has been on a collision course with the European institutions and other EU countries over the rule of law in Poland for some time now. That pressure is on the government, the government in Warsaw and the European Parliament to strengthen the rule of law, with under its hair, more of a discipline. According to the European Court of Justice, that college should be dissolved, but it has recently ruled that EU law does not take precedence over Polish law in cases.
“The rule of law is the glue that holds the EU together,” said von der Leyen. “Without independent judges, citizens are less protected.” Morawiecki vowed that the agreement of the Polish Constitutional Court is “not a political intervention”. “Poland is being attacked in a unilateral way, also in this room.”
VVD
Several MEPs lashed out at Morawiecki. Malik Azmani (VVD) says he threatens the stability and security of the EU. “For years you have been infecting the minds of the Polish people with lies about Europe. What laws do you find so objectionable? The protection of freedom of religion or the rights of individuals? Or perhaps the freedom of the press from the independence of the judiciary? Let me remind you that Poland joined the EU precisely to protect these values.”