Poland: Donald Tusk calls for protests following judgment of the Constitutional Court

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Donald Tusk: "Only together can we stop them"

Photo: KACPER PEMPEL / REUTERS

The Polish Constitutional Court ruled that EU law is partially incompatible with Polish law.

The judicial dispute between Warsaw and the European Union (EU) is likely to escalate further.

Former EU Council President and Polish opposition leader Donald Tusk has now called for protests against a controversial ruling by his country's constitutional court.

"I call on everyone who wants to defend a European Poland to come to Palace Square in Warsaw at 6 p.m. on Sunday," he wrote on Twitter on Thursday evening.

"We can only stop them together." Tusk is the acting chairman of Poland's largest opposition party, the liberal-conservative Civic Platform.

Poland's constitutional court ruled on Thursday that certain elements of EU law violate the Polish constitution.

This gave national law priority over EU law.

This decision met with a negative response in Brussels.

It is fueling the conflict between the EU Commission and Warsaw over the reform of the Polish judicial system.

Brussels reacted with concern

Poland's national-conservative PiS government has been restructuring the judiciary for years.

Critics accuse her of putting judges under pressure.

Because of the reforms, the EU Commission has already opened several infringement proceedings against Warsaw and filed suits with the European Court of Justice.

After the judgment, the EU Commission could initiate a new procedure to protect the rule of law in the EU states, which could lead to a reduction in EU funds for Poland.

Billions in EU corona aid for Poland have not yet been approved due to concerns about the rule of law.

Brussels will use "all means" to ensure that EU law is respected in Poland, EU Justice Commissioner Didier Reynders said on Thursday.

The principle that EU law takes precedence over national law, as well as the binding character of decisions by the EU judiciary, are central to the confederation of states.

asc / dpa