Poland among countries with ‘threats to rule of law’: Council of Europe

The body has adopted a resolution to identify “new threats to the rule of law in Council of Europe member states.” The document, approved late on Wednesday, lists Poland, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, and Turkey as countries which have “serious problems.”

The Assembly called “on all Council of Europe member States to fully implement the principle of the rule of law.”

The Assembly said it “has thoroughly examined the situation” in these five member states and “is concerned about some recent developments which put at risk respect for the rule of law, and, in particular, the independence of the judiciary and the principle of the separation of powers.”

It called on the Polish authorities to “refrain from conducting any reform which would put at risk respect for the rule of law, and in particular the independence of the judiciary, and, in this context, to refrain from amending the Act on the National Council of the Judiciary in a way that would modify the procedure for appointing judge members of the Council and would establish political control over the appointment process of judge members.”

'Yet another attack on Poland': MEP

According to Polish Member of European Parliament Ryszard Czarnecki, the resolution is “yet another attack on Poland,” which is becoming a leading force in its region.

Poland is being attacked by Western European countries because it is one of the fastest growing economies in Europe and “becoming the leader of the new Union,” Czarnecki, who is a vice-president of the European Parliament, told public broadcaster Polish Radio on Thursday.

The Council of Europe is a human rights organisation of 47 members, 28 of which are also members of the European Union. (gs/vb)

Source: IAR, assembly.coe.int