Poland and the EU are locked in a bitter battle over the rule of law, with Brussels saying planned changes to how judges are appointed and fired are in contravention of European law.
Senior ministers in Warsaw, including the prime minister Beta Sdyzlo, hit back – accusing eurocrats of sticking their noses into what is a purely domestic affair.
And now German Chancellor Angela Merkel has hit out insisting Germany “cannot keep our mouths shut” despite wanting to maintain good relations with “neighbour” Poland.
Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on Tuesday, she stressed the rule of law was “the basis for cooperation within the EU”.
And she described the question over the rule of law as a “serious issue” as she warned it could dramatically impact EU workings.
Mrs Merkel said: “This is a serious issue because the requirements for cooperation within the European Union are the principles of the rule of law. I take what the Commission says on this very seriously.
“As much as I want good relations with Poland, our neighbour… we cannot simply hold our tongues and not say anything for the sake of peace and quiet.”
But the Polish government quickly responded to the Chancellor’s statements with sharp counter-criticism, accusing Mrs Merkel of having ulterior motives.
Minister of Justice Zbigniew Ziobro said: “These statements confirm that it is only politics and nothing else, and that the facts do not count.
“At the international level, we could also discuss the serious problems of Germany with regard to standards in the areas of democracy, freedom, freedom of speech and media.”
Referencing the Cologne sex attacks in 2016, Mr Ziobro went on to criticise the “silence of the German media” regarding “the very serious violations of law in Cologne and other German cities”.
And he insisted the Polish government will continue to pursue its plans despite Ms Merkels’ unwelcome comments.
Warsaw’s reply seems to signal that the ruling nationalist and eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party has no intention of backing down on its plans.
The Commission said in July it would launch legal action against Poland over the judicial reforms.
Brussels added if the government started firing Supreme Court judges, the Commission would move to suspend Poland’s voting rights in the EU — an unprecedented punishment which would, however, require the unlikely unanimous support of all other EU governments.
It comes after openly critical statements from French President Emmanuel Macron, who warned Poland was isolating itself within the EU and said Polish citizens “deserved better”.
(Additional reporting by Monika Pallenberg)