PiS government vs European institutions brawl

[Bonobo]

I hope those PiS maniacs won`t try to take Poland out of the EU. Putin is looking forward to it....



www.euractiv.com/section/central-europe/news/polish-premier-says-will-never-bow-to-eu-ultimatum/



Poland’s right-wing Prime Minister Beata Szydlo vowed Friday (20 May) that her government would never bow to any EU ultimatum and accused some members of the European Commission of trying to “destroy” the 28-member bloc.

Szydlo was responding to a Monday deadline (23 May) set by the Commission for Poland to reverse a controversial overhaul of the country’s top court that has set off a fiery dispute between Warsaw and Brussels.

“Poland will never succumb to any ultimatum,” Szydlo said during a stormy debate in parliament.

“There are some in the European Commission… who want to destroy the European Union rather than see it develop.”


The EU’s problem is that others are following the illiberal regimes of Hungary and in Poland, and it is possible that among them be Germany, writes George Friedman.


The executive warned earlier this week it could take further action against Poland because of concerns over the commitment of the governing Law and Justice (PiS) to the rule of law.

“If there is no significant progress by 23 May, then the First Vice-President (Frans Timmermans) has been empowered to adopt the draft rule of law opinion,” the commission said in a statement on Wednesday.

The exact contents of the opinion are not known, but if Warsaw fails to address the issues raised, it could eventually face a suspension of voting rights in the European council of ministers, the EU’s most important decision-making body.

However, Poland’s regional ally Hungary is likely to torpedo any possible sanctions, which would require the unanimous approval of all 28 EU members.

In Friday’s parliamentary debate, leaders of Poland’s liberal opposition party the Civic Platform blasted Szydlo for “desecrating the constitution” and “burning more bridges with Europe”.

An MP from the conservative Polish Peasants’ Party went so far as to charge that the actions of her administration risked “civil war”.

Poles launch campaign against court reform

Tens of thousands of Poles took to Facebook Thursday (10 March) to support the country’s top court in a constitutional battle against the right-wing government.

Szydlo’s government plunged Poland into political crisis in December when it pushed through legislation to revamp the constitutional court and modify its decision-making rules.

The European Commission in January launched an unprecedented probe to see if the changes — seen by critics as endangering the court’s independence — violated EU democracy rules and merited punitive measures.

Since taking office in November, the PiS government has pushed through several pieces of controversial legislation, including strengthening state control over public broadcasters and seeking to tighten already limited access to abortions.

Poland’s rejection of refugees under an EU-wide plan to tackle Europe’s worst migrant crisis since World War II has also chilled ties with Brussels.

Earlier this month, around a quarter of a million Poles marched to defend their country’s place in the European Union and protest against the PiS government.

[Bonobo]

European politician`s comment:

Polish Facebook users` comments:

Krzysia Balińska Thank you for your support Guy! It's PiS that is a threat to Poland right now, not the EU. Stay with us!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 365 · 12 godz.
97 odpowiedzi · 7 min
Magda Kurek
Magda Kurek Yesterday , during the morning session of the Sejm - Polish government under the leadership of Jaroslaw Kaczynski just showed what he thought of the Opposition and where is its place. Members of the opposition were forbidden to speak, the time for deba...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 118 · 12 godz.
38 odpowiedzi · 36 min
Arkadiusz Ostrowski
Arkadiusz Ostrowski Poland is independent country within the EU structures, if You don't understand it Guy Verhofstadt maybe You should resign... EU is a union of independent countries with its governments. And this is democraticly elected Polish government either You like it or not! We don't mix up in situation in Belgium, so let's respect each other!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 121 · 12 godz.
31 odpowiedzi · 37 min
Paweł Micał
Paweł Micał Verhofstadt !!! Stay away from Poland as it's not your problem !!! It's better if you protect women and western Europe countries against terrorists and these all who do not know how to live in civilized countries - Nigel Farage has already told you what he thinks about EU and this all sh....t - it is not Europe any more - it is slowly falling apart !!!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 119 · 11 godz. · Edytowany
35 odpowiedzi · 40 min
Marius Zimmermann
Marius Zimmermann We, Swiss, are most happy to be outside of the EU. If EU was just an economic Union it could be a success. However, as it is positioned now it is going to fail.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 66 · 12 godz.
16 odpowiedzi · 1 godz.
Magdalena Zytek
Magdalena Zytek A step? She and her incompetent ministers have been going WAY too far and not only against the EU. These people are in conflict with basically everyone: the EU, the US and - most importantly - with at least half of the nation. When we march in the stre...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 60 · 11 godz. · Edytowany
19 odpowiedzi · 38 min
Kasia Gorzkowska-Pasek
Kasia Gorzkowska-Pasek PiS is not = Poland or whole Pl society.. 82 % did not vote for them , but we need to respect democratic choice as elsewhere.. We had democratic election .. But worth to remember as well that even more Poles voted for EU so Pl people will not allow any...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 46 · 3 godz. · Edytowany
27 odpowiedzi · 1 godz.
Mr Powerful
Mr Powerful We need your support. Thank you
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 3 · 11 godz.
Anna Garlicka
Anna Garlicka Well said !
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 2 · 12 godz.
Dominika Marta Zawadka
Dominika Marta Zawadka Thank you Mr. Verhofstadt Emotikon heart
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 1 · 11 godz.
Ewa Malanowska
Ewa Malanowska Thank you....
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 2 · 10 godz.
Zair Ugru Nad
Zair Ugru Nad Thank you Guy!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 1 · 11 godz.
Barbara Polok Kubień
Barbara Polok Kubień Emotikon smile
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 1 · 7 godz.
Greg Cor
Greg Cor Can EU get in charge of polish government or something? PiS is really going too far and it will demolish Poland's position in EU. Those f**k*rs want us to leave EU. This must end right now!!!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 29 · 12 godz.
13 odpowiedzi · 34 min
Jacek Suder
Jacek Suder Mr Guy You knowleage about Poland is far below level of judging. EU community is not positive community anymore. You are going to sink like Titanic with self destroing actions. Poland has a great history You would not understand. Since WWII ends, Polan...Zobacz więcej
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10 odpowiedzi · 1 godz.
Pawel Plaszczyk
Pawel Plaszczyk Mr Verhofstadt, after 8 years of liberal government in power we are really, really tired. Could you please take your liberal friends with you to Brussels? People in Poland who voted for the conservatives (and I mean the people, not the loud minority he...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 26 · 4 godz. · Edytowany
3 odpowiedzi · 3 godz.
Adela Łahorska
Adela Łahorska Mister Verhofstadt, As a citizen of Poland I know much more about the history of Europe that you can imagine. I know, for example, where the first giant genocide in the world took place. It was in Kongo, during the reign of your king, Leopold II. There...Zobacz więcej
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3 odpowiedzi · 33 min
Jacek Rajewski
Jacek Rajewski Bravo Guy Verhofstadt! Poland is a signatory of many European agreements therefore any Polish government has got a duty to fulfill its duties towards the European community that it is part of and profits enormously from. Do not let Poland fall in the hands of putinesque demagogues!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 18 · 10 godz. · Edytowany
15 odpowiedzi · 8 min
Mickiewicz Roman
Mickiewicz Roman Mr., Poland is free, democratic country and only Polish people could decide of it. Please stay within your property and look into Belgium. Let everybody care of its own, we don't need your opinion. It is internal Polish case.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 13 · 5 godz.
4 odpowiedzi · 29 min
Marshe Lodreen
Marshe Lodreen The more Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo is criticized by the so called " european bureaucrats " the more I am convinced she is deeply concerned for the well-being of polish people ! ... and You Mr. Verhofstadt are trying to be more polish then the...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 15 · 5 godz. · Edytowany
2 odpowiedzi · 58 min
Gosia Trela
Gosia Trela Thanks for you support and understanding of the situation in Poland. As you said, the Polish people do not accept this!
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 19 · 11 godz.
24 odpowiedzi · 4 min
Jaroslaw Dabrowski
Jaroslaw Dabrowski Dear Mr Guy, at first tidy up with your Belgium which is a hatchery of Arabic terrorists littering with entire Europe, and then you will be if necessary could instruct other. There is a brothel in France, Germany and the west majority of countries by s...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 6 · 3 godz.
Marek Safiak
Marek Safiak Mr. Verhofstadt, I suggest to ask the ordinary people living in Brzeg, Ostrołęka, Oleśnica, Pcim etc. - having permanent problems with making the ends meet - what they think about that political stink made by few frustrated clods trying to regain their...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 8 · 6 godz.
Gent Sinani
Gent Sinani I think there is a question that Poland people and EU have to do. Why we are at this situation? Why PIS won the elections in Poland? Why EU institutions are no more credible in people's eyes? Something is wrong with the traditional way of doing politics that push peoples to the hands of radical partys?
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 14 · 11 godz.
4 odpowiedzi · 6 godz.
Andrzej Banas
Andrzej Banas Your leftist views and deeds will eventually lead to a complete breakup of EU. Look back at your "accomplishments" as a PM of Belgium!! Is this what you intend to bring in to all EU members?
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 8 · 6 godz.
1 odpowiedź
Mirosław M. Czajka
Mirosław M. Czajka This is their style: they offend and attack before even trying to talk directly with anyone! This government is going to isolate Poland from absolutely everybody and then spread hate and accusations internally blaming other political forces for their c...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 15 · 12 godz. · Edytowany
11 odpowiedzi · 2 min
Jaroslaw Zimnik
Jaroslaw Zimnik Dont be silly. She is just representing agenda of polish people. Times when our goverment was just a push toy for a EU is gone for good. Right wing parties taking over whole Europe. Get over it. You are wasting your chance to stay quiet.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 6 · 6 godz.
Przemysław Wróblewski
Przemysław Wróblewski Dear sir. Law and justice party win elections in Poland and we Polish nation give them right to rule. What is EU? A place where Germany, and France rule closed with economic (social benefits) migrants, not refugees, because real refuge wod be thankful ...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 6 · 6 godz.
1 odpowiedź
Hanna Duczak
Hanna Duczak Something interesting and in fact, quite sad is going on here... When reading the comments one quickly realizes, it's almost exlusively Poles (belonging to the losing block of Polish democratic election) who are apparently in love with Guy and all his...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 11 · 8 godz. · Edytowany
Brian K Miller
Brian K Miller Gosh, Poland wants to be free of economic enslavement and suddenly that's an evil misuse of a parliamentary majority?

I guess that puts you firmly on the side of the master holding the whip.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 10 · 10 godz.
3 odpowiedzi · 3 godz.
Norbert Lesiak
Norbert Lesiak The "massive" demonstrations two weeks ago in Poland are a clear sign that democracy in Poland is doing well. You have right, Poland is a part of Europe but Poland is independent also. So not PM Szydlo did a step too far, you did it.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 4 · 4 godz.
3 odpowiedzi · 28 min
Paweł Wiśniewski
Paweł Wiśniewski True. This "government" does not represent Polish people. They represent PiS only and for the limited period of time.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 13 · 11 godz. · Edytowany
4 odpowiedzi · 1 godz.
Mac Em
Mac Em This is only the beginning of demonstrations in Poland. Thank you Guy for supporting us. Our parents fought 50 years to restore the democracy and now we will not allow this bunch of populist from pis to destroy back our country.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 14 · 11 godz.
2 odpowiedzi · 11 min
Mariusz Koz
Mariusz Koz Away from Polish hands, take care of their country because there will not be a long time you can go out there on the streets idiot.
And you anti Poles gallows awaits you at all betray the Polish Nation.
Poles want to be in the Union, PO and a modern materialists....Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 4 · 9 godz.
3 odpowiedzi · 26 min
Tom Tom Outlander
Tom Tom Outlander The Polish government is a government elected in a democratic way and its action is consistent with the will of the voters.
The opposition in Poland, supported by you, accepts all democratic elections if they only are in line with their expectations Emotikon smile...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 6 · 4 godz.
1 odpowiedź
Adam Tchorek
Adam Tchorek It's not a question of EU, but european parliamentary groups - they are against new political tendency in Europe, begun in Hungary and Poland. Don't you admit?
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 1 · 1 godz.
1 odpowiedź
Marta Kunc
Marta Kunc The worst thing that could happen now would be for EU to be lenient towards Poland. Fact of a matter is, this lunatics can only be defeated from the inside. And the only way to do this is to show their voters how their actions are affecting said voters...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 3 · 10 godz. · Edytowany
8 odpowiedzi · 2 godz.
Jerzy Ryszka
Jerzy Ryszka The quotation:"therefore placing Poland outside the EU".Dear Guy,today is saturday,we have the sunny weekend,take your bicycle and go out for a trip.Maybe this will oxygenate your brain and will improve your mood.If you do it,you won't believe these lo...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 2 · 2 godz.
Weronika Mazurkiewicz
Weronika Mazurkiewicz Poles no longer will accept robbing, use us, treat us as minions by Western European countries. This little demonstration, which lost its influence is nothing compared to us Poles who diffused the false democracies, which wiped sins against us. Our ancestors fought so that we were not minions of the EU, but so that we decide themselves about their own freedom, life and democracy.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 8 · 6 godz.
1 odpowiedź
Krzysztof Wiewiorowski
Krzysztof Wiewiorowski Many thanks Sir for your support and words of wisdom. In these hard times it means a lot for the majority of Polish people who do not approve of the actions of PiS government even if -in the laps of judgement-voted for them or(worse still) abstained. ...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 4 · 7 godz.
5 odpowiedzi · 17 min
Marco Albrecht
Marco Albrecht I heard Pis complained about the schools in Germany. Polish people in Germany should be teached in the language Polish. Well, PIS lives in another world and if other Europeans would claim the same, PIS would complain about foreign Intervention. With su...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 1 · 8 godz. · Edytowany
5 odpowiedzi · 16 min
Shem Romanowski
Shem Romanowski The Church and Kaczynski want to have an authoritarian power in the country and those who did not vote they allowed this to happen. Despite being democratically elected, PiS does not respect the rule of democracy cos by changing the way Tribunals and C...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 5 · 8 godz. · Edytowany
Adam Dużyński
Adam Dużyński I dislike this government with all my heart, but you cannot really change the fact that it is still by far the strongest political party in Poland with well above 1/3 of support among voters - that's just the way it is. If the EU impose any kind of sanctions on Poland theyir popularity will skyrocket to 50% - most Poles feel a strong sense of victimization, in this way or another.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 2 · 9 godz.
3 odpowiedzi · 4 godz.
Antoni Stuleja
Antoni Stuleja You and other like you will destroy europe. Well.. it is already going on. Mr tusk would be better for ya. That's for sure. That muppet would sell all of us Polish people. But unfortunately for you... that traitor can suck our sausage. Just like you. ...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 3 · 4 godz.
2 odpowiedzi · 24 min
Elizabeth Szymanski
Elizabeth Szymanski Exactly, polish people fought hard to achieve democracy. Now PiS ruins everything. Polish fight since day one of PiS government and do not agree. Demonstrations are the sign of it.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 7 · 10 godz.
9 odpowiedzi · 43 min
Piotr Mysliwy
Piotr Mysliwy Mr Verhofstadt - definitely "to be continued"... Emotikon wink Polish people will not stop to defend democracy in Poland. With final success - I'm sure. PiS government simply misuderstands PATRIOTISM with NATIONALISM and STUPIDITY.
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 12 · 12 godz.
Gary Litchfield
Gary Litchfield Nationalism isn't just a problem in Poland... it's spreading throughout Europe, and it's dangerous for all of us... the European union's infliction of punitive austerity on the Greek people is in part to blame... it really would be helpful if they'd rethink that approach...
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 4 · 11 godz. · Edytowany
5 odpowiedzi · 6 godz.
Jerry King
Jerry King I can see clearly Mr Vehofstad that you have no clue what is realy going on in Poland and or , you are true enemy of Polish people and Poland and or you need medicine and or you are hiding those guilty who betrayed Poland . Why would you help and hide...Zobacz więcej
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 5 · 6 godz. · Edytowany
Chris Boosey
Chris Boosey The Totalitarian anti-democratic EU is the largest threat to all within the EU, except the Establishment. The common person is screwed over by the EU
Lubię to! · Odpowiedz · 4 · 9 godz.
3 odpowiedzi · 22 min
Grzegorz Dreszler
Grzegorz Dreszler Little you know. Poles in democratic elections have chosen " PIS "
They protest Those who were deprived of the opportunity to rob people
PS....Zobacz więcej

[Bonobo]

EC waiting for progress of Polish gov't on Tribunal
26.05.2016 12:17
The deputy head of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, said that he is waiting for progress by Poland's Law and Justice (PiS) government to resolve the dispute over the Constitutional Tribunal.
Frans Timmermans. Photo: PAP/Radek PietruszkaFrans Timmermans. Photo: PAP/Radek Pietruszka

"What is needed is progress in the three areas we discussed with Prime Minister [Beata] Szydło. The Prime Minister promised this and now we are waiting it,” the deputy head of the European Commission told Polish journalists in Brussels on Wednesday evening.

On Tuesday, after talks with Timmermans in Warsaw, Polish Prime Minister Szydło said that she wants a compromise solution to a crisis over the country’s Constitutional Tribunal.

Szydło added she and Timmermans agreed that an ongoing row over the tribunal, which has caused bitter divisions in Poland and concern abroad, “is obviously a matter that Poland must resolve on its own, internally.”

Szydło said her meeting with Timmermans was “constructive”, adding: “The Polish government has proposed solutions that could be adopted by parliament, [and they] fulfill all the conditions to resolve the dispute around the tribunal."

Political deadlock

Poland is locked in a political stalemate after the conservative Law and Justice party, which came to power in October, introduced sweeping reforms to the Constitutional Tribunal and other institutions.

The moves have drawn criticism at home and abroad. The tribunal has rejected PiS-backed changes to the way it functions. PiS, in turn, has refused to recognise that ruling by the tribunal, claiming it is invalid.
- See more at: www.thenews.pl/1/10/Artykul/254463,EC-waiting-for-progress-of-Polish-govt-on-Tribunal#sthash.3ysG8L98.dpuf

[Bonobo]

EC to open infringement proceedings over Białowieża logging
16.06.2016 11:40
The European Commission is to start proceedings against Poland over the felling of trees in the eastern Białowieża forest, a UNESCO-listed site, unofficial sources say.

Polish Radio has learned from unofficial sources that the extensive logging operations in Europe's last primeval forest will be included in an EC list highlighting EU law infringements by member states. The list is to be released on Thursday afternoon.

Brussels is expected to call Poland out on the violation of EU directives on the conservation of natural habitats and wild birds in the forest.

The Polish Environment Ministry greenlighted the logging earlier this year, citing the need to fight bark beetle infestation in the forest. The step has been fiercely criticised by environmentalists and academics in Poland and abroad.

In April, the commission initiated a so-called EU Pilot procedure to investigate breaches of EU environmental regulations and laws on the conservation of habitats protected under the Natura 2000 programme in Poland.

The idea behind the procedure is to resolve compliance issues through dialogue without resorting to infringement proceedings.

However, Warsaw's justification for a three-fold increase in timber extraction in the forest proved unsatisfactory to Brussels.

Polish Radio has learned that Warsaw will be given one month, and not the statutory two months, to respond to issues raised by the EC. The decision to shorten the deadline was determined by the fact that "the felling activities could bring about irreversible damage" to the forest, EC sources say.

The infringement process could lead to the EU referring Poland to the European Court of Justice and imposing penalties on the country.

In March, Environment Minister Jan Szyszko approved a plan to increase wood extraction in Białowieża from 63,000 to 188,000 square metres under a plan for 2012-2020, after woodcutters had felled 90 percent of the earmarked quota under the ten-year scheme.

[Bonobo]

Polish Tribunal bill does not dispel number of concerns: EU Commission
25.07.2016 16:26
A bill adopted by Polish MPs changing the way the country’s Constitutional Tribunal works does not dispel a number of concerns and gives rise to new ones, a European Commission spokesman said on Monday.

“The College of Commissioners will revert to the matter shortly and consider in the light of all developments the appropriateness of further action under the rule of law,” said European Commission spokesman Margaritis Schinas.

Following a crisis over the Constitutional Tribunal, the European Commission in January launched the first step of a so-called rule of law procedure against Poland.

After the Polish lower house of parliament on Friday backed a string of amendments put forward by the upper house, the new bill on the Constitutional Tribunal will now be submitted to the president for signature.

The passed amendments include doing away with a requirement for the president to agree for a Constitutional Tribunal judge to be removed, if the Tribunal’s disciplinary court has ruled on such a move, and to not allow the president to motion for a given case to be considered by the Tribunal outside of the chronological order in which cases were submitted.

[Bonobo]

Second visit by Venice Commission. Former visit gave no significan effects - PiS still refuses to relinquish on democratic institutions.


Venice Commission visits Poland
12.09.2016 14:10
The Venice Commission, an international watchdog and advisory group to human rights body the Council of Europe, on Monday visited Poland to probe the Constitutional Tribunal.
The focus of the Commission’s investigation is “the Act on the Constitutional Tribunal adopted by the Sejm this summer,” the Venice Commission said in a statement.
“The programme of the visit includes meetings at the Supreme Court, Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the Constitutional Tribunal, the Ombudsman and the Chancellery of the Prime Minister,” the statement read.
A spokesman for the Polish Supreme Court said that apart from the topics relating to the Constitutional Tribunal, the members of the commission also asked questions about “a certain atmosphere” surrounding the judiciary in Poland.
“No one is claiming that the judiciary is functioning perfectly. Let’s just talk about how to fix these errors, eliminate them. Let’s not start the conversation with removing judges,” the spokesperson, Dariusz Świecki, said.
Meanwhile, six Constitutional Tribunal judges who were sworn in by the governing Law and Justice (PiS) party in December and in April, refused to meet with the three members of the Venice Commission, according to a letter sent to the PAP news agency.
A month after the visit, the Venice Commission will issue a report on a recently-passed law on Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal.











Venice Commission visit not important: PiS club leader
12.09.2016 15:12
The head of the parliamentary club of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party has said that the government does not attach much importance to a two-day visit by the Venice Commission to Poland.
“The visit of the Venice Commission in Warsaw is very much a holiday tour. We do not attach particular importance to it. All that we had to tell the Commission, we already have,” Ryszard Terlecki, head of the PiS parliamentary club, told journalists on Monday.
The Venice Commission, an international watchdog and advisory group to human rights body the Council of Europe, on Monday started a two-day visit to Poland to probe the rule of law in the country.
The focus of the Commission’s investigation is “the Act on the Constitutional Tribunal adopted by the Sejm this summer,” the Venice Commission said in a statement.
“The programme of the visit includes meetings at the Supreme Court, Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, the Constitutional Tribunal, the Ombudsman and the Chancellery of the Prime Minister,” the statement read.
Terlecki said on Monday: “I had earlier met the members of the Commission, and had mixed feelings. The members of the Commission were not really prepared for those talks when I took part. I had the impression that they did not even know which country they were in.”
He added that at the time some members of the Commission were not really aware of what their visit was for.
This is the third visit of the Venice Commission to Poland following the parliamentary elections in October, where PiS won a majority in parliament.
On Sunday, the head of the PiS party, Jarosław Kaczyński, said that the issue of the visit of the Venice Commission to Poland is an event of “no importance”. He said that the lack of objectivity of the Commission, and its decision to “ignore Polish law” requires this body to be treated with "considerable reserve”. (rg)

[Bonobo]

Polish gov't to 'end cooperation' with Venice Commission?
16.10.2016 12:13
The Polish government has indicated it wants to end cooperation with the Venice Commission in relation to an escalating crisis related to the Constitutional Tribunal, said the public TVP broadcaster.
The HQ of the Constitutional Tribunal. Photo. Wikimedia CommonsThe HQ of the Constitutional Tribunal. Photo. Wikimedia Commons

TVP said that the government led by Prime Minister Beata Szydło “does not want the Venice Commission to continue dealing with the dispute of the Constitutional Tribunal”.

In a document sent to Venice, the Polish authorities accuse the Commission of “bias” and “unreliability”.

“Despite the non-binding nature of the opinion, we should consider how much the authority the Venice Commission has to determine the constitutional standards of – and interfering in – the internal affairs of member states, and [expect] the demands in its recommendations to be implemented,” read the document quoted by TVP .

A recent opinion released by the Venice Commission said a July law on Poland’s highest court could “possibly make its work ineffective, as well as undermine its independence.”

'Riddled with errors'

Commenting on the report, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said that Poland has “not been given an objective assessment”.

“What we've been given was a report, and now another report that's very one-sided and riddled with errors; it mixes up Polish institutions. It presents only one narrative, that of the opposition or the Constitutional Tribunal. So we've concluded that there's no point in continuing dialogue with the Commission,” Waszczykowski said.

“The Commission does not issue judgements but opinions, which have no binding legal force,” he added.

Warsaw has been locked in a simmering row with EU institutions and politicians who have accused Poland’s conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party of eroding democracy since coming to power last year.

PiS, which has pushed through sweeping legal and other reforms, has denied such charges.

It has argued it is unfair that a constitutional court with a majority of judges appointed under the previous parliament should be able to scupper flagship policies for which the party secured a mandate in democratic elections.

In its opinion, the Venice Commission said Poland’s new law “does not meet two essential standards of balance of power in government: the independence of the judiciary and the position of the constitutional court as the final arbiter in constitutional issues.”

[Bonobo]

Poland is sliding into authoritarianism. Now we see if the E.U. can stop the drift.

By Editorial Board
December 21 at 8:09 PM
FOR SEVERAL years, a group of countries in Central Europe that successfully made the transition from Soviet Communist satellites to democratic members of the European Union has been engaged in what looks like a forced march backward toward authoritarianism. Power-hungry governments in Hungary, Poland and Romania have dismantled judicial checks and balances, silenced independent media, and cynically stirred nationalist passions against outsiders, ranging from E.U. organs to the financier George Soros. It was consequently heartening this week when Poland’s ruling party, under pressure both from Brussels and its own citizens, felt obliged to retreat.
President Andrzej Duda, who just three months ago was mocking the E.U. as “an imaginary community,” on Monday signed a hastily enacted law reinstating senior judges who had been forced out of their jobs, in effect complying with an order from the E.U.’s highest court. The purge of a third of the 72 judges on the Supreme Court was one of a series of steps the right-wing Law and Justice party had taken to gain control over the judiciary, including packing the Constitutional Court and the body that nominates new judges.
Poland’s democracy remains in danger: The politicization of the security services, transformation of state-owned media into propaganda organs, and pressure on independent journalists and civil society continue. But in bowing to the E.U. court, Law and Justice and its leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, have showed that the European Commission does have the leverage to fight the authoritarian drift, at least in Poland. It can do so not because of its military or economic might, but because a majority of Poles want their country to remain a part of democratic Europe.
That was one message from recent local elections, the first to be held in Poland since Law and Justice gained a majority in parliament with about 40 percent of the popular vote three years ago. Turnout reached record levels, reflecting the polarization the party has brought about in a society that once united against communism. While Law and Justice swept rural areas, it was trounced in the cities, losing 103 out of 107 mayoral votes. With elections for the European Parliament coming up in May, and an even more crucial vote for the Polish Parliament due within a year, the government has suddenly begun to stress its allegiance to Europe.
Reversing Poland’s political backslide will ultimately require opposition electoral victories, but in the meantime, the E.U. can do more to contain the damage. It should continue pressing for a reversal of all the actions taken by Law and Justice to compromise the judiciary. The Trump administration, for its part, ought to reconsider the political bet it has made on the Polish nationalists, whom it has openly favored. It’s an ugly cause whose demise may have already begun.


We owe one to all German authors who are not afraid of being stigmatised for telling the truth about Nazi German crimes in occupied Poland. One of them is Jochen Böhler

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jochen_B%C3%B6hler





Jochen Böhler listen (born 1969 in Rheinfelden) is a German historian, specializing in the military history of World War II, the Third Reich, the German occupation of Poland 1939–45, and the research on the perpetrators of the Holocaust. He is the recipient of several international awards.[1][2]
Professional career
Böhler obtained a Magister's degree at University of Cologne in 1999, where he specialized in modern and medieval history, as well as ethnology and political economy. His Magisterial thesis, Wehrmacht war crimes in Poland, won a departmental award.[2] His PhD was finished at the same university in 2004.[2]
He is a member of the German Committee for the History of the Second World War and of the Working Group on Military History. From 2000 he has worked in the German Historical Institute in Warsaw.[2] Between 2003 and 2004 he was a Fellow in Residence at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.[3] Since January 2008, Böhler served as the Baron Friedrich Carl von Oppenheim Fellow at the International Institute for Holocaust Research at Yad Vashem.[2]