2022-02-16 11:50 update: 2022-02-17, 11:37
Photo PAP/Piotr Nowak
Poland’s deputy justice minister has attacked the rejection of by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) of a Polish-Hungarian complaint over a funds-for-rule-of-law mechanism, saying it is an "attack on our sovereignty”.
Sebastian Kaleta also called the ruling "blackmail aimed to deprive us of our right to self-determination," and said Poland now needed "unity to avert this attack on our sovereignty."
Continuing his attack on the ruling, which could result in Poland having its funding cut if there is a violation of EU law, Kaleta added: "A historical day for the EU. The Treaties have been changed by... a political verdict from the CJEU. Now every independent decision Poland makes will carry the risk of exposure to financial blackmail."
Pawel Jablonski, a deputy foreign minister, said the rule of law mechanism can apply to EU members, but "only under certain conditions.
Earlier on Wednesday the CJEU rejected Poland's and Hungary's objections against the rule of law mechanism, which allows Brussels to block a member's funding if it breaches EU law. (PAP)
