“Hungary has, for a year now, been blocking refunds for the military equipment we delivered to Ukraine,” says foreign minister RadosÅ‚aw Sikorski.
“Hungary has, for a year now, been blocking refunds for the military equipment we delivered to Ukraine,” says foreign minister RadosÅ‚aw Sikorski.
The EU has transferred almost almost 27 billion zloty (€6.3 billion) to Poland.
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Ursula von der Leyen said she “welcomes [Tusk’s] commitment to put the rule of law at the top of the government agenda”.
Brussels has until now withheld funds over rule-of-law concerns, but the new money comes from a separate part of the package.
A minister says the decision is due to the “very effective work” of the current government and not because Donald Tusk is set to come to power.
Politicians and media linked to Poland’s ruling party say Tusk’s remarks prove the EU is using the rule of law as a pretext to change the government in Warsaw.
Aleks Szczerbiak
Andrzej Duda has virtually ended any realistic prospect of Warsaw receiving the funds before the election.
Questions still remain over how the tribunal will function given its internal disputes.
President Andrzej Duda can sign the bill into law, veto it, or send it to the constitutional court for assessment.
In an unusual vote, almost all PiS MPs were in favour but their coalition partner was opposed and most opposition MPs abstained.
Aleks Szczerbiak
The dispute with Brussels offers both dangers and opportunities for the ruling party.
The episode is the latest sign of tensions within the ruling camp over whether and how Poland should roll back its judicial reforms in order to satisfy the EU’s demands.
The legislation “fulfils the key milestones indicated by the European Commission” for Poland to unlock its frozen funds, says the government.
Zbigniew Ziobro criticised the prime minister for giving the EU a “tool of economic blackmail” against Poland.