Warsaw’s controversial shake-up of its judiciary, which could force two-fifths of supreme court judges to step down, is causing increasing friction with Brussels.
The country’s new prime minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, is braced for the EU to issue an extaordinary formal warning by triggering article 7.1, a procedure which could lead to member states having bloc voting rights suspended.
He said: “As far as I understand, the decision has already been made that next Wednesday [December 20] the European Commission plans to start article 7.1…it will most likely be triggered.”
This could pave the way for the suspension of voting rights – although this appears unlikely, given that Hungary has already indicated that it would not agree to this.
Diplomats have said Warsaw has just days to avert activation of article 7.1, possibly via a veto by Polish President Andrzej Duda.
However, this appears unlikely given that Mr Duda, like Mr Morawiecki, represents the right-wing Law and Justice Party.
Mr Duda hit the headlines in 2015 when he rejected EU proposals for migrant quotas to redistribute asylum seekers, saying: “I won’t agree to a dictate of the strong.
“I won’t back a Europe where the economic advantage of the size of a population will be a reason to force solutions on other countries regardless of their national interests.”
Poland eventually agreed to take in 2,000 people over the next two years, mainly from Syria and Eritrea, rather than the 3,700 which was initially proposed.
The sweeping reforms would see the ousting of up to 40 per cent of senior judges, which Mr Morawieki has claimed is necessary to counter “nepotism and corruption”.
The policies being pursued by the Law and Justice Party have prompted concern inside and outside Poland recently.
The country’s Parliament yesterday approved changes to its electoral code which would expand the powers of interior minister Mariusz Blaszczak in overseeing elections.
Wojciech Hermelinski, head of the State Electoral Commission, claimed the changes represented a threat to the election process.
He told a press conference: “De facto the minister will take decisions, not us.”