(21 Jul 2017) Around 1000 people gathered Friday evening in front of the Polish Supreme Court to protest a new law that would give politicians substantial influence over the country's Supreme Court, a move that critics say would defy the principles of the European Union.
EU leaders say the draft bill put forward by the country's conservative populist government would kill judicial independence and threaten the rule of law in the EU's largest member in Central and Eastern Europe.
While urging Poland to seek a dialogue on its plans, EU leaders have said the bill, together with earlier related legislation, violate the 28-country bloc's vital principles and have warned of potential consequences.
Jaroslaw Kaczynski, head of the ruling Law and Justice party, contends the judiciary still works along the communist-era model and harbors many judges from that time.
Communist rule ended in 1989.
He says it needs "radical changes" to become efficient and reliable.
Law and Justice has also taken a skeptical stance toward many EU policies, including EU demands to accept migrants, and it is vague on the timetable for joining the common euro currency.
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