Europe must not compromise with regard to the rule of law in Poland

Written declaration No. 744 | Doc. 15574 | 27 June 2022

Signatories:

Mr Andreas Sjalg UNNELAND, Norway, UEL ; Lord Andrew ADONIS, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Tonia ANTONIAZZI, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Duncan BAKER, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Fourat BEN CHIKHA, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Caspar Van den BERG, Netherlands, ALDE ; Ms Margreet De BOER, Netherlands, SOC ; Ms Laura CASTEL, Spain, UEL ; Mr Boriss CILEVIČS, Latvia, SOC ; Ms Tarja FILATOV, Finland, SOC ; Mr Pierre-Alain FRIDEZ, Switzerland, SOC ; Mr Paul GALLES, Luxembourg, EPP/CD ; Mr Paul GAVAN, Ireland, UEL ; Mr Gerardo GIOVAGNOLI, San Marino, SOC ; Ms Inka HOPSU, Finland, SOC ; Ms Ruth JONES, United Kingdom, SOC ; Ms Maria JUFEREVA-SKURATOVSKI, Estonia, ALDE ; Mr Christophe LACROIX, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Gianni MARILOTTI, Italy, SOC ; Ms Octavie MODERT, Luxembourg, EPP/CD ; Ms Marica MONTEMAGGI, San Marino, SOC ; Mr Simon MOUTQUIN, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Fiona O'LOUGHLIN, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Joseph O'REILLY, Ireland, EPP/CD ; Mr Gianluca PERILLI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Paulo PISCO, Portugal, SOC ; Mr Roberto RAMPI, Italy, SOC ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Mr Tommy SHEPPARD, United Kingdom, NR

This written declaration does not reflect the position of the Assembly; only of those members that have signed it. It will not be considered further by the Assembly.

We, the undersigned, declare the following:

On 1 June 2022, the European Commission endorsed Poland's €35.4 billion recovery plan. In its resolution 2022/2703(RSP), the European Parliament expressed its worry that the Commission’s milestones are not enough and called on the Council to not approve the plan until all conditions are met.

We see the Commission’s approval as a departure from its role as guardian of the treaties and appeasement towards rule of law backsliding in Europe. The agreed measures do not ensure Poland’s compliance with EU standards or with the rulings of the European Court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights.

These milestones do not address the illegitimate Constitutional Tribunal or National Council of the Judiciary. They do not guarantee that judges illegally suspended by the so-called Disciplinary Chamber of the Supreme Court such as Igor Tuleya, Piotr Gąciarek or Maciej Ferek, are reinstated, or that the prosecution service ceases its repression of government’s political opponents such as Senate speaker Tomasz Grodzki or attorney Roman Giertych, activists such as Marta Lempart and Bartosz Kramek, or entrepreneurs and executives such as Piotr Osiecki and Jakub Karnowski.

We call on European institutions not to disburse any funds until compliance with EU law and values is guaranteed.