The EP delegation ended its three-day visit to Poland, where MEPs met politicians, judges, civil society and journalists, to assess the rule of law situation. They meet with Judges and prosecutors affected by disciplinary / criminal proceedings for applying EU Law. Statements by Gabriel Bischoff (S&D, DE), first Vice-President of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, Juan Fernando López Aguilar (S&D, ES), Chair of the Civil Liberties Committee and Othmar Karas (EPP, AT), EP first Vice-President

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

EP delegation

LÓPEZ AGUILAR, Juan Fernando (S&D, ES)

KARAS, Othmar (EPP, AT)

Committee on Constitutional Affairs

EU mechanism on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights (T)

EU - Poland (T)

Warsaw

BISCHOFF, Gabriele (S&D, DE)

EP LIBE and AFCO delegations to Poland, Warsaw: meeting with Judges and statements by co-chairs of the delegation

Meeting with Judges and prosecutors affected by disciplinary / criminal proceedings for applying EU Law including Igor Tuleya and Waldemar Zurek, Judges

SOUNDBITE (English), Gabriele BISCHOFF (S&amp;D, DE), These were three very important days for the AFCO committee because we met a lot of interlocutors to get really an impression and enlarge the picture on the state of rule of law and democracy in Poland. And this is to the heart of the work of our committee because the question of rule of law is not a Polish question. It's a European question,.

SOUNDBITE (English), Gabriele BISCHOFF (S&amp;D, DE), And I have to say I'm leaving this country more worried than I arrived here. And we will work on really spreading the experience, the news we had here to make sure that we strengthen together rule of law in Poland and in Europe. Because this is the backbone, the basis for the European Union

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&#211;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), Democracy, The European Way does not confine itself to ruling by majority. It takes protecting minorities and respecting political pluralism, independence of judiciary capable of protecting the fundamental rights of EU citizens everywhere all across the European Union, including Poland. And that is why we took stock of a series of gathering in a most intense agenda throughout three days in a row. Lot by lot getting to know better, getting to understand better, hearing first hand testimonies.

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&Oacute;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), The rule of law conditionality regulation is binding law, and it has been a certain upheld entirely by a recent ruling of the European Court of Justice, which precisely made it clear that the disciplinary chamber is not compliant with EU law. So the consequences are to be drawn. And we only expect that the European Parliament resolutions and positions and the scrutiny that we accept on the commission will lead to the consequences which are to be taken into account, including that the Commission fulfil its role as guardian of the Treaties and EU law and make sure that EU law is fully complied with by Polish authorities.

SOUNDBITE (English), Juan Fernando L&Oacute;PEZ AGUILAR (S&amp;D, ES), The vast majority of the Polish citizens embrace EU values, according to every Eurobarometer, they favour very much European integration that they are proud of being Europeans and we are proud to represent them 

SOUNDBITE (English), Othmar KARAS (EPP, AT), The European Parliament is the parliament of all European citizens, also of the citizens of Poland, Austria hungover. So it is our common responsibility to achieve our common goals, to implement our common rules, to look for a strong expectation of our values. And that is the reason why we addressed the Polish politicians, the lawmakers that the judgement of the Court of Justice of the EU of the 15 July 2021 must be fully, 100 percent implemented. It is our Court of Justice. It's not a court of justice, of another political party and my us. I asked the Polish All citizens, please help us to fight for an independent courts and to fight before us to implement our common goals out of law and our common values.

Cutaways of the final press conference by Gabriel Bischoff (S&amp;D, DE),  first Vice-President of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, Juan Fernando L&oacute;pez Aguilar (S&amp;D, ES), Chair of the Civil Liberties Committee and Othmar Karas (EPP, AT), EP first Vice-President.