Polish president signals concerns about tweaked judicial reform

"For me, the professional stability of these people (judges) is one of the fundamental issues," he said on Thursday. "I will not allow any legal act to be introduced into the Polish legal system that would undermine these nominations, would allow for the verification of presidential nominations." The latest set of judicial reforms has split the ruling camp, with a junior partner in government saying it will vote against the reforms, which it says damage Poland's sovereignty. Opposition lawmakers, whose support would be needed to pass the bill, have said they will examine it, but that it cannot be fast-tracked through parliament.

Poland's president on Thursday struck a cautious tone about a judicial reform bill that the ruling party hopes will unblock COVID-19 recovery funds withheld by Brussels over rule of law concerns, raising a question mark over the legislation's future.

Embroiled in a long-running row with the European Union over the independence of the courts, Poland's government on Tuesday said it had agreed with Brussels on amendments that would give it access to billions in funds which economists say are crucial for an economy hit hard by the war in Ukraine. "I will primarily assess the issue of compliance with the constitution of the changes, but also take into account Poland's sovereign right to shape the justice system in the way we, as Poles, want to," Andrzej Duda, an ally of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party, told a news conference.

The amendments would mean that the Supreme Administrative Court would deal with disciplinary cases, in a bid to address concerns that the previous system had been used to penalise judges critical of the government's judicial reforms. Judges would also not face disciplinary action for questioning the independence of colleagues appointed by organs critics say are politicised.

Duda has previously opposed any measures that could allow judges to call into question the legitimacy of their colleagues. "For me, the professional stability of these people (judges) is one of the fundamental issues," he said on Thursday.

"I will not allow any legal act to be introduced into the Polish legal system that would undermine these nominations, would allow for the verification of presidential nominations." The latest set of judicial reforms has split the ruling camp, with a junior partner in government saying it will vote against the reforms, which it says damage Poland's sovereignty.

Opposition lawmakers, whose support would be needed to pass the bill, have said they will examine it, but that it cannot be fast-tracked through parliament.

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