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Europe EU threatens Poland over judicial reforms

THE EUROPEAN Union threatened Poland with disciplinary measures yesterday saying planned judicial reforms threaten the rule of law.

It accused Warsaw’s conservative government of introducing a raft of laws over the past two years that allow it to “interfere significantly” in the judiciary.

The article 7 measures could lead to Poland being suspended from voting at EU summits but Hungary said it would block the move, which needs the agreement of all member states.

Poland has been given three months to address concerns raised by the European Commission which spent two years monitoring the situation.

It asked the ruling Law and Justice Party to lift a lower retirement age for current judges, remove the power of the president to prolong the mandate of Supreme Court judges and to restore the independence of the Constitutional Tribunal.

European Commission deputy chief Frans Timmermans said there was “no other option” as the “entire structure was affected.”

Warsaw claimed the decision was “political,” claiming the reforms are needed to curb inefficiency and corruption.

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