From the outset, the KPO project has stirred strong feelings within the United Right. Yet the parliament consists of more deputies than just the governing majority, according to government spokesman Piotr Müller. He expressed hope that voices of reason would emerge from the opposition on how to mobilize EU funds.
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— Solidarna Polska against the draft amendment to the Supreme Court law. Kaleta: The proposed mechanisms will lead to anarchy
The government spokesman was asked in the Sejm on Wednesday evening about Sebastian Kaleta, Deputy Minister of Justice and a Solidarna Polska politician, and his group’s stance against the draft amendment to the Supreme Court law. Sejm officials, including EU minister Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, said the measure marks an important milestone identified by the European Commission in the National Reconstruction Plan. Müller was queried whether the SP’s position could affect the coalition.
From the very start, the KPO issue has triggered strong emotions within the United Right. This is part of what sets the coalition apart. EU matters have remained a persistent theme for them since the beginning, so this is not unfamiliar territory, Müller remarked. He noted that the parliament includes more deputies than just the United Right’s majority and expressed hope for reasonable voices urging the mobilization of EU funds.
“I don’t see where the opposition’s dilemma lies.”
He added that a few weeks earlier the opposition claimed that releasing funds from the KPO was Poland’s raison d’état, arguing it was a scandal that the funds did not exist, and accusing the PiS government of blocking them to avoid changes to the laws.
Today there is a project on the table that resulted from difficult negotiations between Poland and the European Commission. It respects Poland’s judicial autonomy while also receiving EC approval, with the EC stating that once approved in this form, it will unlock EU funds. Müller questioned where the opposition’s dilemma lay.
He also noted that Solidarna Polska had highlighted these differences for some time, while the opposition pressed for quicker action to free funds for Poland. He suggested that the opposition could still align and move forward with broad state affairs beyond electoral considerations.
The government spokesman indicated there was a real chance the needed support would materialize in the near term.
According to Müller, some emotions would subside and opposition members would reflect on the broader state agenda rather than short-term electoral calculations. He described the project as something that could gain broader backing in the end. The first reading of the draft amendment to the Supreme Court Act was scheduled for Thursday in the Sejm.
Meeting of the Prime Minister and the Sejm Marshal with the heads of parliamentary clubs
On Wednesday, Sejm Speaker Elżbieta Witek and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki met with the heads of parliamentary clubs and circles to discuss how to work on the Supreme Court amendment. There was also a meeting of opposition leaders in the Sejm. It was agreed that opposition lawyers would review the bill submitted by PiS and propose changes with cross-party support, according to information obtained by PAP.
A 12-page draft of the Supreme Court law amendment was submitted to the Sejm by PiS deputies on Tuesday night. The authors say the proposed provisions aim to achieve the key milestone set by the European Commission on the National Reconstruction Plan. Pursuant to the draft amendments, disciplinary and immunity cases of judges will be decided by the Supreme Administrative Court. This change moves the Supreme Court’s new Chamber of Professional Responsibility away from adjudicating judges’ cases.
The draft also introduces notable changes regarding the so-called independence and impartiality review of judges. This is a new institution introduced this summer through a presidential amendment to the Supreme Court law. It is intended to assess whether a judge meets the requirements of independence and impartiality, considering appointment circumstances and behavior after appointment, to ensure the absence of factors that could affect a case’s outcome. Presently, requests can be filed by the party in the proceedings led by a particular judge. The proposed amendments enable the court itself to initiate an impartiality check ex officio and expand the concept of evaluating independence and impartiality during the “test” by allowing the formation of a court based on a legal framework. The draft also broadens the ability to examine independence and impartiality during the evaluation period.
tkwl/PAP
Source: wPolityce