Polish judicial reform should be in line with constitution: US State Dept.

Poland’s judicial reform “should also respect judicial independence and the separation of powers,” Heather Nauert said at a department press briefing on Thursday.

She noted that the US administration has in the past expressed its “concerns about the rule of law and the developments there in Poland” and said it was “watching the situation unfold in Poland very closely.”

Nauert also said that Poland was “an important friend of the United States” and that a “healthy and strong democracy in Poland” was a “vital component of U.S.-Polish relations.”

According to Nauert, the US Department of State is aware of Polish President Andrzej Duda’s new judicial reform proposals. “We are closely following the parliament’s upcoming deliberations on them,” she said.

She added: “We rely on our allies to maintain strong democratic institutions, economies, and also defense capabilities. We’ll continue to watch that very carefully, but just want to express how important it is to have a strong and healthy democracy in Poland.”

On Monday, Poland’s president unveiled his much-awaited proposals for legal changes in the country. On Tuesday, the bills were submitted to parliament.

On Wednesday, President Duda said in a press interview that people in Poland wanted to see positive change, not a revolution, in the country’s judiciary.

On Thursday, Polish government spokesman Rafał Bochenek said the president’s proposals for reorganising the country's Supreme Court and the National Council of the Judiciary were being examined by groups of experts and lawyers in parliament and at the justice ministry. (gs/pk)

Source: US Department of State (www.state.gov), PAP