WARSAW (Reuters) – European Commission Deputy chief Vera Jourova said on Wednesday she was happy that the new Polish government wants to fix the rule of law situation, but it is too early to assess whether its actions will be sufficient or meet EU’s milestones.
Jourova went to Warsaw on Wednesday to meet officials after a new pro-European government led by Prime Minister Donald Tusk took power after the Oct. 15 election from the nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party.
The former PiS government had for years been stuck in a row with Brussels over its court reforms and the rule of law, resulting in billions of European Union’s funds for Poland being frozen. The new government vowed to regain access to the money.
Jourova said she welcomed the new cabinet’s will to fix rule of law issues, but “it’s too early to assess whether they will be sufficient to meet the milestones”.
Under the milestones, Poland needs to ensure judicial independence, reinstate unlawfully dismissed judges and reform its disciplinary system.
“We are truly committed to completing milestones as quickly as possible,” Justice Minister Adam Bodnar said during a joint press conference with Jourova.
(Reporting by Karol Badohal and Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk; Editing by Alison Williams)
