EU acts against Poland:

Europe

Szymanski

The European Commission launched legal action on Saturday against what it sees as Polish government attempts to undermine the independence of judges. It has given Warsaw a month to respond. EU commissioners decided to launch the “infringement procedure” for violating European Union law at a meeting on Wednesday, the first step in a legal process that may end at the bloc’s top court, pending publication of Poland’s new law.

A Polish deputy foreign minister said on Saturday the Commission’s decision was “unjustified” because the organisation of the legal systems in EU members was up to member states and not EU institutions.

The Commission is concerned about discretionary power given to Poland’s minister of justice to prolong the mandates of judges who reach retirement age, as well as to dismiss and appoint court presidents.

It said a key legal concern was the introduction of different retirement ages - for female judges at 60 and male judges at 65.

Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Konrad Szymanski told state news agency PAP that court presidents in Poland performed mostly administrative functions.

He also said the new regulation on the retirement of judges was aimed at bringing it into line with a reduction in the retirement age that enters into force in October. (RTRS)