The Polish government will struggle to push through a law that would alleviate its dispute with the European Union and unlock billions in funding, the European affairs minister said.
(Bloomberg) — The Polish government will struggle to push through a law that would alleviate its dispute with the European Union and unlock billions in funding, the European affairs minister said.
Szymon Szynkowski vel Sek, the Polish cabinet minister who helped negotiate a deal last month to release €35.4 billion ($38.1 billion) in post-pandemic funding by reversing changes to the judiciary, said the ruling Law & Justice party faces opposition from across the political establishment in Warsaw.
“This will be a very difficult process,” Szynkowski vel Sek said in an interview late Wednesday, as lawmakers began working on a draft proposal in line with the December agreement. Last month’s deal “won’t even get us halfway through toward success,” he said.
Law & Justice had sought to use one of its last tools to bring an end a years-long legal battle with the Commission, the EU’s executive arm, over rule-of-law standards. The legislation would reverse changes to the justice system that the EU said politicized an institution that should be free from meddling.
But the deal with the EU immediately hit a roadblock from within the governing coalition, as lawmakers close to eurosceptic Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro dismissed the accord as unconstitutional. Opposition lawmakers, who have pilloried the judicial overhaul and could ease passage, introduced changes that the ruling party has rejected.
Poland’s president, Andrzej Duda, pledged to veto the bill if it doesn’t meet his prerogatives on appointing judges. He hasn’t weighed in on the draft legislation, but urged lawmakers to introduce changes.
The deadlock has political implications for the ruling party nine months ahead of elections. Despite reversing a judicial overhaul, Law & Justice views the released EU funds as critical to regaining sagging support as Poles confront soaring energy costs and a teetering economy.
“Not even everyone in the Law & Justice party welcomes the changes with enthusiasm,” Szynkowski vel Sek said. But the compromises with the EU are necessary “given that we have a higher strategic goal in mind of strengthening Poland thanks to European funds,” he said.
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