A “farcical” decision by the European Commission to pull the plug on its six-year rule of law dispute with Poland purely stems from the bloc’s cosy relationship with Prime Minister Donald Tusk, as opposed to any changes he has introduced, a leading critic has claimed.
The European Union‘s executive, headed up by President Ursula von der Leyen, yesterday scrapped Article 7 proceedings, saying Mr Tusk has initiated the necessary changes to reverse what the bloc called the previous government’s alleged backsliding on democratic principles.
However, the announcement was mocked by Arkadiusz Mularczyk, Poland’s former Minister for Foreign Affairs, who suggested nothing had actually changed except for his country’s Prime Minister, who was appointed at the head of a eurocentric coalition after last year’s general election.
As the former President of the European Council, Mr Tusk is an EU insider who controversially met with Ms von der Leyen in Brussels even before his return as PM was confirmed.
Mr Mularczyk, an MP for the United Poland party, told Express.co.uk: “Today, the farcical Article 7 rule of law proceedings against Poland have ended.
“Donald Tusk has enacted no changes whatsoever but magically, the EC now can’t see a rule of law problem in Poland.”
He continued: “Everyone in Poland, the EU and the world can see that all von der Leyen and the EU elites needed and wanted in Poland was a change in government, and the support they gave Donald Tusk, through the Article 7 procedure and withholding National Recovery Funds, helped to remove Law and Justice from power.
“Poles will draw their own conclusions about a deal between Tusk and von der Leyen and will be disgusted, although not surprised, that the EU leadership would engage in such outrageous political games and help to remove governments they don’t like.”
Mr Mularczyk concluded: “It’s now essential and obvious that Poles and all EU citizens vote for ECR candidates to provide parity in the EU parliament in the upcoming elections.”
The EU’s decision to withdraw its case over rule of law complaints follows one in February to start releasing billions of euros which it had frozen in the dispute.
Ms von der Leyen said: “Today, marks a new chapter for Poland.
“The ongoing restoration of the rule of law in Poland is great for the Polish people and for our union as a whole.”
The EU and Poland had been at odds after the nationalist Law and Justice party came to power in 2015 and implemented reforms that critics claimed placed Poland’s judiciary under political control.
The EU threatened to suspend Poland’s EU voting rights and blocked its access to EU funds.
Since taking office in December, Mr Tusk pushed to overturn the measures.
Yesterday’s decision still needs to be ratified by the 27 EU member states but it is unlikely to face fundamental objections.
Poland’s pro-European coalition of three centre-left parties led by Mr Tusk won parliamentary elections on October 15, succeeding the Law and Justice party which also had introduced changes to reproductive rights and the media that put Poland at loggerheads with the EU.