Claude MORAES (S&D, UK), Chair of the LIBE Committee and Head of the EP Delegation to Warsaw speaks to the press on the rule of law in Poland.

MORAES, Claude (S&D, UK)

press conference

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

EU - Poland (T)

Warsaw

Rule of law in Poland: extracts from the press conference by Claude MORAES (S&D, UK), Chair of the LIBE Committee and Head of the EP Delegation to Warsaw

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), Chair LIBE, This is not a study visit or a fact-finding mission. This is a Delegation as part of the formal procedure under article 7.1 of the Treaty . The Commission began its procedure in July and as part of the procedure of article 7.1 European Parliament gives its consent finally.

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), As part of that procedure it is incumbent upon the up in Parliament and our Committee specifically and this Delegation to come to Poland, to see all of the interlocutors in a balanced way ,to see government to see all of the political parties are balanced way, the civil society , all the various organisations involved in the areas of concern.

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), Some of the key issues there concerns the recent appointment of the 10 judges to thes disciplinary chamber of the Supreme Court . We saw the 1st President of the Supreme Court Mrs Gersdorf who is one of the judges who will be subject to early retirement. I want to make it very clear that some of these reforms including early retirement are completely legitimate reforms by government to make. The issue for us is to assess under the fundamental rights mechanism whether individually or cumulatively these reforms in anyway inhibits the ability of Poland as a nation and as a member of the European Union, implementing EU law as well as the domestic law . Whether its inhibits Poland's ability to function fully as an EU member state, legally, and whether it is inhibiting its future ability for example to have an independent fully independent judiciary that will tackle corruption and other major issues in the future. That&rsquo;s our job.

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), They should expect that when most external credible organisations - actually all of them - are telling the government and the Commissioners is also telling the government that cumulatively these reforms are inhibiting the ability of Poland to have an independent judiciary - which is seen as independent by the rest of the EU, and possible in a world situation. That's something that the government needs to pay key to. This is an initial reaction. How do we come to such conclusions ? I think trough exhaustive meetings with those affected by the reforms, but also I should add by a balanced discussion with all political parties including those who are in the backing the reforms and justify the reforms, including from government.

SOUNDBITE (English), Claude MORAES (S&amp;D, UK), Is important because we dealing with a major an important member state of the EU, that we are dealing with very sensitive reforms with some historical resonance. For this reason I think your question is a good one because it's for us to understand that the Commission is also accountable to the European Parliament . So as well as having a legal consent focus on the European Parliament the Commission is also accountable to us. So have a both a legal focus and a soft power focus. Meaning that , well, we will also ask Frans Timmermans to tell us what's his role is, we also have an interaction with the Council.