Poland Supreme Court warns judicial reforms threaten EU membership News
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Poland Supreme Court warns judicial reforms threaten EU membership

The Supreme Court of Poland released a statement Tuesday warning that the country’s drafts of judicial reforms could be in violation of European Union (EU) law. The country’s nationalist government is currently advocating for legislation that punishes Poland judges for questioning judicial nominations.

Proponents of the legislation argue that the law is needed for greater efficiency in the system. The Supreme Court asserts that the legislation is exclusively to empower the current leader, President Andrzej Duda, to choose a new head of the Supreme Court prior to the election. The Supreme Court predicts that EU institutions will get involved if the measure passes the legislature.

An EU Commission spokesperson has commented on the matter, emphasizing that the Commission is very committed to preserving its members’ judiciaries from political interference. On Monday, the EU stated it will be investigating the draft of the law. Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union allows the EU to suspend rights of member nations, but, currently, the EU does not have a mechanism to expel a member nation.

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