European Interest

Junker says Poland has not made enough progress in rule-of-law row

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European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker said Poland has not yet made enough progress in assuaging Brussels’ concerns over the rule of law.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Junker said Poland has not yet made enough progress in assuaging Brussels’ concerns over the rule of law. But he is optimistic about ongoing negotiations with Poland.

Junker’s statement comes one day ahead of a meeting with Poland’s Prime Minister Mateusz Jakub Morawiecki to be held in Sofia on May 17.

As reported by The Local, European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans also said on May 16 that the progress made by Poland is not enough to ensure an independent judiciary. “We are not in a position to say the issue has been resolve,” he said.

However, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz has stressed there is little room for further compromise.

In turn, the Polish president’s chief of staff said that “Poland has made an effort and now it is up to Brussels’ political will to put an end to this issue”.

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