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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

E.U. still open to sanctioning Poland over judicial overhaul

In this Monday, July 24, 2017, photo, Polish President Andrzej Duda makes a statement in Warsaw, Poland. (Alik Keplicz / Associated Press)
By Vanessa Gera Associated Press

WARSAW, Poland – The European Union’s executive arm remains open to triggering sanctions against Poland for limiting judicial independence despite the Polish president’s decision to veto parts of a controversial legal overhaul, a top EU official said Wednesday.

“Some things have changed and some things have not,” European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said at a news conference in Brussels.

Timmermans said the Commission was giving Poland one month to resolve all the problems with the judicial changes approved by Poland’s parliament. It was not clear what the repercussions would be if Poland fails to do so within that timeline.

Polish officials reacted defiantly, saying they have a democratic mandate for the changes and would not be swayed by what government spokesman Rafal Bochenek called “blackmail” from the EU.

“Our duty is to change the judiciary, and we will change it,” Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro said. “We are doing it in a democratic way, and nobody will prevent us. No threat will make any impression on us.”

The ruling Law and Justice party took steps soon after winning power in 2015 that have gradually reduced the ability of the Constitutional Tribunal to act as a check on the party’s power. It took its shake-up further this month when lawmakers passed three bills putting the rest of the court system under ruling party control.

Supporters of the bills say Poland’s courts are inefficient and corrupt. While most Poles agree, many people saw a power grab in the legislative package’s quick approval and turned out by the tens of thousands to stage nightly candlelight protests.

President Andrzej Duda, who long has been loyal to the party, unexpectedly announced Monday that he would veto two of the bills, including one that would have allowed the justice minister to immediately dismiss any of the Supreme Court judges. Duda signed a third bill giving the justice minister power to name the heads of lower courts.

Timmermans said he welcomed Duda’s rejection of the two bills. But he said that other parts of the judicial overhaul, including the earlier takeover of the constitutional court, “increase significantly the systemic threat to the rule of law.”

He also said any legal acts that lead to the dismissal or forced retirement of Supreme Court judges would lead the Commission to “immediately” act to issue a formal warning to Poland which could result in Poland losing its EU voting rights.