In a significant set back to judicial independence in the country, Poland's parliament on Friday approved a new law which brings the Supreme Court under the control of the ruling party.
The move has been widely criticism by EU states and the US who have raised concerns over what is being described as Poland's shift away from liberal values. Protesters have also taken to the streets to voice their concern at the curtailment of judicial independence.
The president of the European Council said, “it is my conviction that they are a negation of European values and standards, and that they put our reputation at risk,”
“Politically, they move us back in time and space — backward and to the East," he added, seeking an urgent meeting with the Polish president Andrzej Duda whose signature would finalise the approved law.
“The Polish government has continued to pursue legislation that appears to undermine judicial independence and weaken the rule of law in Poland,” the US State Department said in a statement on Friday.
“We urge all sides to ensure that any judicial reform does not violate Poland’s constitution or international legal obligations and respects the principles of judicial independence and separation of powers.”
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