EU gives Poland two months to address rule of law concerns

Brussels (dpa) - The European Commission gave Poland a two-month deadline on Wednesday to address EU concerns about rule of law in the country, where new judicial reforms have been criticized as weakening democracy.Since coming to power in 2015, Poland‘s conservative government has prevented three constitutional tribunal judges appointed by the previous administration from taking office. Poland‘s parliament, led by the Law and Justice Party, has appointed new judges in their place - a move that the EU commission considers unlawful but President Andrzej Duda has defended."The independence of the judiciary is of paramount importance to the rule of law," European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said in a written statement."The commission will not drop this matter," Timmermans added.A previous three-month deadline for Poland to address EU rule-of-law concerns expired in October.In addition to the appointment of the legally elected judges, Timmermans told reporters in Brussels that concerns remain over the publication of court rulings and legislation on the functioning of the court.Critics say the Polish government has sought to curtail the powers of the country‘s top court through judicial reforms over the past year, and high-ranking legal experts have warned that the future of Polish democracy is on the line.The commission launched an inquiry against Poland in January to investigate whether the government‘s moves have violated the bloc‘s fundamental values. The case could ultimately lead to the withdrawal of Poland‘s voting rights in the EU.The suspension of voting rights would be a risky move for the commission, as it would require member state approval. Failure to win the backing of national governments could make the commission appear powerless.