Verhofstadt to Polish Prime Minister: "I have faith in the Polish citizens"

Source: S.H. (Sophie) in 't Veld i, published on Tuesday, January 19 2016.

The ALDE Group in the European Parliament has today called upon the Prime Minister of Poland, Beata Szydło, to listen to concerned Polish citizens, and to stop using the broad majority of the PiS government to dismantle the system of checks and balances of the Polish democracy. That strong mandate should instead be used to lead the country according to the rule of law and European core values.

Guy Verhofstadt, ALDE Group leader, said: "You and your party won the elections and got a strong mandate to lead your country. Based on your broad majority, it is your right to shape the media landscape and reform the civil service".

"However, what alarms most members of this House and what a democrat never does, is to use a parliamentary majority to dismantle a countries system of checks and balances."

"The increased quorum, together with the two-third majority imposed by your government and the enforced chronological order of cases are clearly undermining the Court. This combination has led to its paralysis".

"These measures represent a drift towards authoritarianism, towards Putin's Russia. Mr Kaczynski is facilitating Putin's efforts to disrupt European unity".

"I trust that the Polish people will not let you turn the clock back. Knowing the Polish people, the people who gave rise to Solidarnosc, who resisted repressions and who fought for freedom, for democracy, for the rule of law, I am convinced they will never accept to give up democracy again".

"Listen to your people, listen to the Polish citizens".

Sophie in 't Veld, first vice-president of the ALDE Group, added: "The Polish government was elected to improve the economic situation of the Polish people, not to demolish democratic checks and balances at record speed".

"Poland is not the only Member State to threaten the rule of law. Hungary, under the leadership of Mr Orban, has been doing the same for years.  And the Commission has never taken any action. This makes the Commission decision on Poland look arbitrary. The EU must be seen to treat all member states equally, without political considerations".

"The debate about Poland shows clearly the need for an EU Wide Democratic Governance Pact: a mechanism to monitor the state of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in all Member States and EU institutions on a permanent basis".

"The EU has a wide range of instruments at its disposal for the enforcement of its laws and Treaties when it comes to material issues like state aid, budget discipline or emissions targets, but not for the protection of its fundamental values and principles like the rule of law, fundamental rights and democratic governance".

"If Europe is unable to uphold its own values and principles, it loses credibility as a global actor.The Putinization of Europe must stop".

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