Polish lawmakers OK law to help unlock EU funds

WARSAW, Poland — Poland’s lower house of parliament on Wednesday gave final approval to a new law on judicial accountability that the government believes will meet European Union expectations and help unfreeze billions of euros in pandemic recovery funds.

Brussels suspended the aid for Poland, saying the government’s policies of exerting control over the judiciary violate democratic principles. The EU has called for essential changes before Poland can be granted access to more than 35 billion euros ($37 billion U.S.) of EU grants and loans. Some previous changes proposed by Poland did not go far enough for the EU.

Following months of negotiations, the government proposed more changes that removed the controversial powers of the Supreme Court, as one of the so-called “milestones” that Poland has agreed to meet to receive the funds.

The proposal was criticized in Poland, including among judicial circles where some argued that it was inconsistent with the country’s legal system. But the right-wing ruling coalition insists it constitutes a compromise that should lead to the releasing of the funds, a process they say will take many months.

Lawmakers at the powerful lower house, or Sejm, voted Wednesday 233-207 for the new law with 12 abstentions, illustrating the deep divisions in a parliament narrowly controlled by the governing Law and Justice party and its junior partners.

The changes still need approval from President Andrzej Duda.

EU Commissioner for Justice, Didier Reynders, reacted on Twitter saying: “I take note of the adoption by the Sejm of the new law on the judiciary. We will now continue to follow the next steps in the legislative process.”