EPP parliamentary group leader for stopping the payment of corona aid to Poland

The chairman of the EPP group in the EU Parliament, Manfred Weber (CSU), demands clear consequences in the conflict over Poland's judicial reform.

Brussels - "Specifically, I demand that the pending payment of the corona development aid be stopped as long as this disciplinary chamber is working in Poland," he told the Phoenix broadcaster. They have to be resolved. "I would like to see concrete steps first before we transfer the funds," said Weber.

The disciplinary chamber at Poland's Supreme Court is the core of the Polish judicial reform and can remove the immunity of judges or prosecutors. The European Court of Justice ruled in July that the chamber did not guarantee independence and impartiality. Weber also criticized the European Council, which had allowed too much time to pass in the debate about the rule of law in Poland: "The Article 7 procedure has been on the table since 2017. This is the most powerful weapon Europe has to enforce and uphold the rule of law. And since 2017, the heads of state and government have not spoken about the subject in public in their meetings. " It is therefore urgently necessary that this is discussed at the current EU summit.

Weber also finds hard words for Russia's gas policy: "If Russia is not ready to help us with this energy shortage and to provide appropriate gas quantities at reasonable prices, you may have to seriously discuss the the Nord Stream 2 operating license again. " The EU must not be fooled by Russia's head of state Putin. He would like support from former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder: "He should now put in a good word for the Germans when it comes to energy consumption, that more gas flows at a reasonable cost."

Source: Der Newsticker

Photo: Die Welt.