the european Parliament in Poland has on Friday adopted the law, which allows the government to fire or punish judges.
Poland’s parliament Friday evening adopted a controversial law that tightens the grip on the courts and creates concern in the EU.
the Law gives the Polish government the opportunity to fire or punish the judges if their rulings go against the government’s wishes on the reforms and legislation.
According to the ruling conservative party, the law is necessary to avoid a legal chaos, while the opposition is calling the law a threat to legal certainty.
the Law was adopted with 233 votes for and 205 against.
It came to pass, just hours after the EUROPEAN Commission had called on Poland to drop the bill until the law had been assessed by the international experts.
the Bill had been prepared in haste by the ruling, right-wing party, Law and Justice (PiS).
the Party’s bill was tabled in response to the decisions of the EUROPEAN Court of justice and the supreme court in Poland, which has been questioned by a number of legal reforms in Poland, which the conservative party stands behind.
Poland’s minister of justice, Zbigniew Ziobro, said Thursday that the bill “protects and restores a normal situation for Poland’s legal system”.
– the Law protects democracy laws against the “juraficering”, as someone trying to get in through the back door, which can create chaos, anarchy and illegality, he said.
the Law must continue to be adopted in the Poland’s senate, before it enters into force.
Since Law and Justice came to power in 2015, it has tightened its grip on the country’s judicial system.
the EU has previously expressed concern that the Polish courts ‘ independence and at the same time, the EU has accused Poland to politicize the courts.
Shortly before the Polish parliament adopted the law, the united nations office of the high commissioner for human Rights (OHCHR) sent a concerned message on Twitter.
– We are worried about the bill, which threatens to jeopardise the independence of the judiciary over the track, sounds it.
– We urge the government to consider its consequences for legal certainty.
But it is not only outside of Poland, that has been voiced by the bill.
Also, Poland’s Supreme court had on Tuesday warned against the bill, as it “most likely” will cause, that Poland is being punished by the EU for not living up to the EU’s rule of law.
ultimately, the consequence may be, that Poland will be kicked out of the EU, sounded the warning on.
on Wednesday demonstrated thousands of poles against the bill in more than 100 Polish cities.
/ritzau/AFP
