Poland is recovering under Tusk: end to years of EU sanctions | Abroad

The European Commission started proceedings against Poland in 2017 on the basis of Article 7. That article makes it possible to suspend a Member State if the “EU values ​​are violated”. Poland could therefore lose its voting rights. Billions in subsidies were also blocked.

According to the EU, the rule of law in Poland was undermined because parliament gained too much influence over the media and judiciary. They were no longer independent due to various changes in the law. Warsaw ignored several warnings from the EU.

The law changes took place under the right-conservative PiS party, which had a majority since 2015. The PiS government was often on a collision course with the EU. Last December, after the elections, pro-European parties managed to form a government with Donald Tusk as prime minister.

Tusk was Prime Minister of Poland between 2007 and 2014. Between 2014 and 2019 he was President of the European Council. Since Tusk became prime minister again, Poland has greatly improved ties with the EU. In February, the EU already released 137 billion euros in subsidies for Poland.

“Today is a new beginning for Poland. After more than six years we can close the Article 7 procedure,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote on https://twitter.com/vonderleyen/status/1787423460785807806. She congratulates Tusk and his government on the “important breakthrough”.

Om een vraag te kunnen stellen dien je in te loggen. Log in of maak binnen 1 minuut jouw gratis account aan.