EU commissioners positive about Supreme Court amendment. The EU minister recalls: the opposition proposed amendments that could destroy the compromise

Public statements by two EU Commissioners confirm that the issue of amending the law on the Supreme Court has been the subject of detailed settlements, and that the entry into force of the law addressed to the Constitutional Court would open the way to obtain funds from the KPO, EU minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk told PAP.

The amendment would fill a “milestone”.

The Deputy Head of the European Commission, Vera Jourova, confirmed in an interview with TVN24 that the amendment to the law on the Supreme Court, currently awaiting consideration by the Constitutional Court, would reach a “milestone” with regard to the judiciary and the way for Poland to receive money from the KPO.

It was a project that was thoroughly consulted with the EC and I can confirm that we assured the Polish authorities that its approval would solve the problem

said Jourova.

We have confirmed to the representative of the Polish side that this may solve some problems. Not all, but certainly

– she said.

When asked if this fulfills the so-called “milestone” with regard to the judiciary, she replied:

Yes. Now we have no choice but to wait for the decision of the Constitutional Tribunal.

In an interview with TVN24, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders, when asked about the amendment to the Supreme Court Act, admitted that “this is a good project, we discussed it with the Polish authorities for months before the project was submitted to the Polish Sejm.”

READ ALSO: Reynders and Jourova reveal the cards related to the Supreme Court law change! TVN24 Journalist: They admitted that its approval would unlock funds from KPO

“The matter was the subject of detailed settlements”

EU Minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, commenting on these statements, pointed out in an interview with PAP that “many opposition politicians question the positive assessment of the European Commission for the amendment of the Supreme Court law and the negotiation arrangements in this issue. ”

It attacked the provisions of the law, proposed amendments that could destroy the compromise on this issue

he remembered.

The public statements of the two commissioners confirm that the matter was the subject of detailed settlements, and that the entry into force of the law, addressed by the president to the Constitutional Court, would open the way to obtain funds from the KPO

– said Szynkowski aka Sęk.

The amendment to the Supreme Court law was submitted by President Andrzej Duda to the Constitutional Tribunal in February as part of a pre-emptive check. The hearing will take place on June 27 this year; it was originally planned to be May 31.

Law and Justice politicians – the authors of the law – argued that its adoption will be crucial for Poland to receive funds from the EU Reconstruction Fund under the KPO – National Recovery Plan after the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendment stipulates, among other things, that disciplinary and immunity cases of judges should be decided by the Supreme Administrative Court, and not – as is currently the case – by the Supreme Court’s Professional Liability Chamber.

In the motion addressed to the Constitutional Court, the President asked the Tribunal to examine the constitutionality of, among other things, a number of entries on the test of judicial independence and the transfer of disciplinary and immunity cases from judges to the Supreme Administrative Court. The presidential motion also questioned, among other things, provisions allowing for the resumption of legally concluded disciplinary and immunity cases, as well as the vacatio legis provided for by this amendment, set at 21 days.

wkt/PAP