Government should face state tribunal for losing Poland’s EU funds, says Tusk

Those responsible for Poland’s failure to obtain billions in EU funds will be tried before the state tribunal – the body empowered to punish the highest officials of state – says Donald Tusk, leader of the largest opposition party, Civic Platform (PO).

“Anyone who bears responsibility for the absence of this 360 billion zloty from the EU will face the state tribunal. I guarantee you this,” said Tusk during a public meeting on Wednesday. “If they do not bring back this money in the coming days, they will answer for it in the manner provided for by the law.”

The state tribunal – similarly to the process of impeachment in other countries – rules on the liability of senior officials, including the president and members of the government.

At least three fifths of members of the Sejm, the lower house of parliament, must vote in favour of ministers being brought before the tribunal. Currently, the opposition does not even have a majority in the chamber, though hopes to win one at next year’s elections.

“If the state tribunal is not there for this, for robbing the Polish homeland of such a gigantic amount of money and of our dreams, then what should the state tribunal be for?” asked Tusk yesterday.

The European Commission has frozen around €36 billion in Poland’s pandemic recovery funds and further billions in cohesion funds over rule-of-law concerns. Poland’s government, however, accuses Brussels of using the funds as a political tool to remove it from power.

The government has agreed on a series of “milestones” to unlock the recovery funds, including closing down its disciplinary chamber for judges, but Brussels says that not all of the terms have yet been met.

Poland’s Europe minister, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk, yesterday held talks with European Commission Vice President Věra Jourová to discuss further steps that would allow the money to begin flowing.

“They have led to a situation where they themselves have agreed to this,” said Tusk yesterday, referring to the milestones. “They signed it, they have promised the Polish people and the whole of Europe that they will fix these mistakes, the devastation of the Polish judicial system, and in return, we will be able to take this money.”

Tusk noted that, even if Poland does not receive the funds, it will still have to, along with other member states, pay back the loans taken to finance the EU’s recovery fund.

Earlier this week, Hungary, the only other country that had seen its funds frozen, vowed extensive judicial reforms in a bid to unblock EU funds, reported Politico.

Main photo credit: European People’s Party/Flickr (under CC BY 2.0)

Alicja Ptak

Alicja Ptak is senior editor at Notes from Poland and a multimedia journalist. She previously worked for Reuters.