Ursula von der Leyen defends controversial approval of Polish recovery plan
Ursula von der Leyen has defended her controversial decision to approve Poland's €35-billion recovery plan, arguing the judicial reforms that Brussels has imposed serve as "leverage" to restore the rule of law.
The president of the European Commission made her case before the European Parliament, where lawmakers urged her to withhold all payments until Warsaw has proven the wrongdoing has been corrected.
"I know that some of you are sceptical, but let me reassure you that no money will be disbursed, until these reforms are undertaken," von der Leyen told MEPs on Tuesday afternoon.
The Polish recovery plan, which unlocks the country's allocated share of the €750-billion fund, remained on stand-by for more than a year over persisting rule of law concerns.
At the core of the dispute was the disciplinary chamber of the Supreme Court, which has the power to slap fines, salary cuts and lift immunity of magistrates according to the content of their rulings.
The chamber is largely seen as a tool of government encroachment upon the judiciary. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has deemed the body incompatible with EU law and asked for its dismantlement.
As part of the Commission's green light, Poland has committed to fulfil three key milestones: replace the chamber with an impartial and "substantially different" court, reform the disciplinary regime and review the cases of all judges affected by its decisions, "free from inappropriate offences."
"A first payment will only be possible when a new law is in force and ticks all the boxes under this contract," von der Leyen said. "This is progress, but we are not at the end of the road on the rule of law in Poland."
The Polish government has already put forward a proposal to replace the
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