2024-10-11 14:40 update: 2024-10-11, 14:42
Fot. PAP/Paweł Supernak
The Polish justice minister has accused President Andrzej Duda of attempting to defend detrimental judicial reforms, implemented by the previous Law and Justice (PiS) government, to preserve his presidential legacy.
At a meeting of EU justice ministers in Luxembourg on Friday, Adam Bodnar commented on Duda's declaration in which he pledged to "defend to the death" all of the judges he had appointed until the conclusion of his term.
"The president is trying in various ways to defend the harmful judicial measures that have been criticised by both the public during the October 15 elections and by EU institutions," Bodnar said.
Bodnar also predicted significant changes to Poland's judiciary in the coming months, including a reshuffle of leadership positions in national courts.
The minister acknowledged that changes to the legal status of so-called 'neo-judges' would likely have to wait until the end of Duda's term in August 2025.
Judges appointed after the PiS's overhaul of the judiciary in 2018 are often referred to as 'neo-judges'.
The current government regard such judges as illegitimate because the members of the body responsible for nominating them, the National Council of the Judiciary (KRS), were under the PiS government, nominated by politicians and not, as previously, elected by fellow judges. Due to this, various European and Polish court rulings questioned the KRS as a legitimate body.
"When judges are appointed by politicians, it leads to an imbalance of power," Bodnar said. "This is where all the problems we have observed since 2018 have stemmed from."
He expressed his bewilderment at Duda's insistence on maintaining the current system. "I believe it was an attempt to preserve his dishonourable presidentail legacy when he authorised all these detrimental changes to the judiciary," Bodnar concluded.
The new, pro-EU government has been striving to reverse numerous controversial changes introduced by the PiS government. However, most attempts have been rejected by Duda, a PiS ally, whose signature is required to amend the law.
The justice ministry prepared a rule-of-law restoration plan, which was the basis for the European Commission's decision to end infringement proceedings against Poland, at the same time unfreezing billions worth of EU funds. (PAP)
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