European Commission triggers unprecedented sanctions procedure against Poland
The EU's executive body triggered a never-used sanctions procedure, taking an unprecedented step aims to bring Poland back into line. However, the move risks alienating Warsaw even further from its EU counterparts while exposing the EU's weakness in enforcing its political vision.
"Today in Poland the constitutionality of legislation can no longer be guaranteed," said Frans Timmermans, vice president of the European Commission, adding that this is a risk for the functioning of the bloc's internal market and the EU as a whole.
The final stage of sanctions _ including a suspension of Polish voting rights in the EU _ would likely be vetoed by at least one other member.
Still, Poland faces the stigma of being deemed in breach of EU values by a majority of its peers, according to a Dow Jones report supplied to EFE.
The European Commission and an international panel of constitutional law experts, known as the Venice Commission, have said changes to Poland's judicial system are a threat to Poland's rule of law and the separation of powers.
The commission's decision comes after two years of failed attempts by Brussels to convince the government in Warsaw to undo the changes to its judicial system.
The Polish government has maintained the changes are needed to purge judges appointed during the country's Communist past.
"Poland is as devoted to the rule of law as the rest of the EU," tweeted Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki.
He said, "Poland's sovereignty and the idea of United Europe can be reconciled."
The sanctions procedure, informally dubbed as the "nuclear option," comes as the EU is embarking in more complex negotiations with the UK about its future relationship after Brexit.
In Warsaw, ruling party lawmakers quickly described the commission's move as a plot to force Poland to take Muslim refugees.
Others said the opposition was working with German interests to subjugate Poles.
"We are a child to be beaten, because we do not blindly follow their orders," said Ryszard Czarnecki, a member of the European Parliament from Poland's ruling Law and Justice party.
Timmermans said that if Poland over the next three months reverses the legislative changes, the commission will withdraw its recommendation to trigger the sanctions procedure.
"We continue to stand ready for dialogue, every day, whenever the Polish authorities would deem it possible," he said. The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, invited Morawiecki for a "working lunch or dinner" on Jan. 9.
A spokesman for Morawiecki said the premier will attend that meeting.
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