Changes in the Supreme Court. PiS and opposition amendments. The project was sent back to committee

On Thursday afternoon, the Sejm conducted the second reading of the amendment to the Act on the Supreme Court and other courts, which, according to the authors, is to complete a key “milestone” for the European Commission to unblock funds from the KPO.

During a parliamentary debate PiS MP Kazimierz Smoliński submitted an amendment extending the vacatio legis of the Act from 14 to 21 days. – I appeal to the high house to support this amendment and we will continue to support this project, as so far – he said

Amendments were also tabled in the second reading by the opposition clubs. – This law is not perfect, therefore together, as opposition clubs, together with the Polish Coalition, the Left, we are submitting a number of amendments in the second reading. These are joint amendments, because from the very beginning we speak with one voice – said the head of the KO club Boris Budka.

Due to the submission of amendments, the draft amendment was referred for further work in the Justice and Justice Committee human rightsscheduled to meet on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

During the second reading in the Sejm, MPs’ questions regarding the content of the draft were answered by the Minister of European Affairs, Szymon Szynkowski vel Sęk. In his opinion, an important moment has come when the joint task of the entire political class should be to ensure that funds from the KPO flow into Poland. According to him, the adoption of the amendments submitted by the opposition could cause “a lot of problems with the implementation of the compromise with the European Commission”. “There would be trouble if these amendments were adopted, so it is absolutely out of the question.”

Szynkowski vel Sęk urged MPs to support the project. – The solutions give us a chance to face the great challenges that all of Europe is facing today (…) The main threat is in the east. Take on this responsibility so that we can face him,” he said.

First reading of the draft amendment to the Act on the Supreme Court was held on Wednesday, then it went to work in the Justice and Human Rights Committee, which met that same evening. approx. 1.30 at night she recommended the Sejm to adopt the amendment. Earlier, the committee accepted a number of editorial comments from the Legislative Office and one amendment from PiS. The opposition’s amendments transforming the main provisions of the act did not gain a majority.

The opposition’s amendments submitted on Wednesday referred, among other things, to leaving judicial disciplinary and immunity cases with the Supreme Court, after transferring them to the Criminal Chamber of this court.

During the work of the committee, the PiS amendment to the transitional provision of the draft was adopted, concerning the possibility for judges to submit motions to the Supreme Administrative Court for the resumption of legally concluded proceedings in cases falling before the change within the jurisdiction of the Chamber of Professional Liability of the Supreme Court.

PiS submitted the draft to the Sejm on December 13 last year. According to the authors, the change is to complete a key “milestone” for the European Commission to unlock funds from KPO. The assumptions of the project were negotiated during the talks of Minister Szynkowski vel Sęk in Brussels.

According to the draft, disciplinary and immunity cases of judges would be resolved by him The Supreme Administrative Court, and not, as at present, the Chamber of Professional Liability of the Supreme Court. The project also extends the scope of the so-called a test of independence and impartiality of the judge, which could be initiated not only by the party to the proceedings, but also ex officio by the court itself. The draft also supplements the examinations during the test with the premise of appointing a judge “pursuant to the act”.