Polish Prime Minister: "Will Remain in EU but Reject Sovereignty Infringement"

Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Poland [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] Mateusz Morawiecki, Prime Minister of Poland, stated on the 18th (local time) that Poland will remain a member of the European Union (EU) but refuses to allow the EU to coercively infringe on its sovereignty.

In a letter sent to EU leaders on the same day, Prime Minister Morawiecki said, "The EU is turning into an undemocratic superstate trampling on the sovereignty of member countries."

He added, "We should be concerned that the EU is increasingly transforming from an alliance of free and equal sovereign states into a centrally controlled body that is not democratically accountable."

Prime Minister Morawiecki particularly claimed that the EU is using subsidies as a weapon to threaten Poland. This is analyzed as an attempt to gain an advantageous position in subsidy negotiations ahead of the EU summit scheduled for the 20th-21st in Brussels, Belgium.

Poland, which pursues far-right populist policies, has been criticized for undermining democratic values demanded by the EU, such as ignoring LGBTQ rights, infringing on judicial independence, and suppressing the media.

Since 2018, Poland's right-wing ruling party, Law and Justice Party (PiS), has implemented a policy where the lower house nominates members of the committee that appoints judges. This effectively opens the door for the ruling party-led lower house to exert influence over the judiciary, drawing criticism for violating judicial independence, the rule of law, and democratic principles.

When the European Court of Justice (ECJ) intervened, stating that Poland's policy violated EU law, the Polish government filed a lawsuit with the Polish Constitutional Tribunal in July, requesting a ruling on which has supremacy: the ECJ's decision or the Polish constitution.

On the 7th, the Polish Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the Polish constitution takes precedence over EU treaties or decisions. In response, the European Commission stated, "EU law is supreme over the laws of individual member states, including their constitutions," and "All ECJ rulings apply to the judiciary of individual countries." It also warned that it would initiate procedures to restrict subsidies to member states that do not meet the EU's democratic standards.

Concerns have also been raised about the possibility of Poland withdrawing from the EU if it continues to reject the EU's rule of law oversight. After the Polish Constitutional Tribunal made a decision directly opposing the EU, Polish citizens opposed the far-right government, saying, "Poland should not leave the EU."