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Poland censures EU’s call for sanctions

Wednesday, 15 November 2017 2:29 PM [ Last Update: Wednesday, 15 November 2017 5:29 PM ]

Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo gives a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, November 14, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Poland's prime minister reacted furiously on Wednesday after the European Parliament called for the country to face EU sanctions over its controversial judicial reforms.

Members of the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a resolution condemning "grave violations" of the rule of law, and of triggering a procedure that could eventually suspend Warsaw's voting rights in the European Union.

Poland's rightwing government and the EU have been at loggerheads for months over proposed changes to the Polish court system that Brussels views as a threat to the union's underpinning democratic values.

Rightwing Polish lawmakers walked out of the vote in Strasbourg, France, and Polish premier Beata Szydlo launched a furious attack on the move by the parliament.

"At the European summit on Friday I will give my views on the scandalous events in the European Parliament," Szydlo said on Twitter, referring to a meeting of EU leaders in Sweden this week.

A general view shows deputies listening as Slovak President Andrej Kiska addresses deputies at the auditorium of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, November 15, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

She condemned opposition Polish MEPs for "defaming" the country by staying in parliament for the vote.

The proposals to overhaul Poland's judicial system have led to mass street protests and prompted Polish freedom icon Lech Walesa to express concern about his country's fate in Europe.

The EU says all the Polish reforms pose a "systemic threat" to the rule of law, with Brussels having warned it could trigger Article Seven of the EU's treaties, which deals with the Rule of Law.

That could eventually lead to the so-called nuclear option of freezing Poland's voting rights within the bloc.

"We have now sent four letters to the Polish authorities to seek a meeting" but received no response, European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans, who has been leading the EU's response on the issue, told MEPs.

A growing east-west split in the EU has seen Brussels take on both Poland and Hungary over a series of issues including rights and the countries' refusal to take in any migrants.

(Source: AFP)

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