(Bloomberg) — Poland’s plan to access frozen European Union aid hit a snag after hardliners in the ruling coalition rejected a deal to roll back judicial changes and the president set conditions for his ratification of required legislation.
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The proposal negotiated by the government with the European Commission would undo many contested judicial changes the government has introduced during its seven-year rule. If it passes, Brussels will likely agree to free up €35.4 billion ($37.7 billion) in funds.
Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki was hoping the agreement would help lift his Law & Justice party’s flagging support before next year’s elections by helping it tackle a cost-of-living crisis and rising debt costs.
Yet Deputy Justice Minister Sebastian Kaleta, from a faction of right-wing lawmakers that give the ruling alliance a slim parliamentary majority, said the legislation amounted to Polish “capitulation” in the standoff with Brussels. Passing it would “cause anarchy” in Polish courts, he said.
President Andrzej Duda said he wasn’t consulted on the bill, which was sent to parliament earlier this week.
“I won’t agree to any solutions that would undermine Poland’s constitution and its institutions,” Duda said Thursday, adding he will oppose any attempts to undermine the status of judges he had appointed, a possibility raised by the current legislation.
The opposition, whose support could potentially ease the passage of the law, has said it needs more time to decide whether to support it.
(Updates with details from third paragraph.)
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