Debate on the Recent developments in Poland and their impact on fundamental rights, during the EP plenary session (12-15/09/2016) in Strasbourg. Statements by Ivan KORCOK, Slovak Secretary of State, on behalf of the Council, Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (EPP, PL), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), Ryszard LEGUTKO (ECR, PL), Sophia IN'T VELD (ALDE, NL), and Robert Jarosław IWASZKIEWICZ (EFDD, PL).

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

TIMMERMANS, Frans (NL, EC)

PITTELLA, Gianni (S&D, IT)

LEGUTKO, Ryszard Antoni (ECR, PL)

LEWANDOWSKI, Janusz (EPP, PL)

IN 'T VELD, Sophia (Renew, NL)

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

EU - Poland (T)

IWASZKIEWICZ, Robert Jarosław (EFDD, PL)

KORCOK, Ivan (SK)

Recent developments in Poland and their impact on fundamental rights: extracts from the debate

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, Slovak Secretary of State, on behalf of the Council, Fundamental rights need to be upheld and defended as our best guarantee for sustainable, open and free societies.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ivan KORCOK, Slovak Secretary of State, on behalf of the Council, The issue at stake goes to the heart of our commitment to this Union. We therefore trust that all sides act responsibly and constructively to reach a swift solution that leaves no doubt about our core values.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, At this stage the dispute concerning the composition and the respect of the judgements of the Constitutional Tribunal remains unresolved. This being said, the Commission stands ready to continue the constructive dialogue with the Polish authorities in order to find solutions to the issues raised.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (EPP, PL), This is not a debate about Poland or against Poland; it's a question of the abuses of the current government in Poland which is a danger for Poland's citizens and Poland's society and democracy.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Janusz LEWANDOWSKI (EPP, PL), It was once said by Pope Jean-Paul II that 'Europe needs Poland and Poland needs Europe'. We need a strong, sensible Poland and only in this way can Poland succeed and that's why the decisions being taken by this Parliament are so important.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Giovanni PITTELLA (S&amp;D, IT), We are fighting for you and with you, not against you; we are fighting for democracy, which is the supreme good which lays in your hearts, Polish friends, and in ours.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ryszard LEGUTKO (ECR, PL), I will tell you what bothers you and what the origin of this non-sense resolution is. You've been influenced by prejudices against Polish government and what the government embodies; you are not able to accept the fact that there are parties and governments that are of a different opinion and that they have every right to express these opinions. Plurality in the EU is not real, it's only accepted if you are inside a framework: any colour you like as long as it's black; all opinions are good as long as they are in line with EU orthodoxy.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sophia IN&apos;T VELD (ALDE, NL), We have to be big on big things, and this is big. This goes right to the heart what the EU is all about; about the rule of law, about fundamental rights and about democracy and in this sense I would give full support to the initiative of Commissioner Timmermans.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Robert Jaros&#322;aw IWASZKIEWICZ (EFDD, PL), In Poland we don't need any lesson from this chamber, we don't need any advice, we don't need any instructions because we in Poland know how to govern ourselves; you are the ones who should learn from Polish history on how you can fight for freedom and solidarity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, If you accept my premise that the independence of the judiciary is an essential part of the respect of the rule of law, how is it then that in Poland the executive can choose whether it wants to publish the rules of the highest Court in the land on the basis of whether it likes the rulings or whether it doesn't? That is not in line with the principle of the independence of the judiciary. Applause. How is it then..? (He is interrupted by Mr Legutko) Well, Mr Legutko said that what I am saying it's not true but let me remind him that seven of the rulings of the Constitutional Tribunal have still not been published by the Polish government. This is a fact, Mr Legutko.

SOUNDBITE (English), Frans TIMMERMANS, First Vice-President of the EC in charge of Better Regulation, Inter-Institutional Relations, the Rule of Law and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, I will not be accused of acting against the Polish people; this is a dispute between a Tribunal and a government: nothing more and nothing less. But let us remind ourselves of the beauty of the victory of democracy and the rule of law against oppression and communism and let's not forget that this is the true true achievement of our common European dream. Thank you. Applause