Poland’s government adopted a rule‑of‑law bill on Tuesday, aiming to end judicial chaos caused by the 2018 appointment of neo‑judges, the prime minister said.
Bill’s Objectives
The law, called the “rule‑of‑law bill”, seeks to eradicate the chaos in the judiciary that stemmed from the 2018 appointment of neo‑judges – individuals who were improperly selected for the office.
Prime Minister’s Statement
Prime Minister Donald Tusk said, “We want everyone in Poland to finally have the right to an impartial, non‑political, swift court whose verdicts will not be questioned. I hope this is a very serious step in that direction.”
Justice Minister’s Vision
Justice Minister Waldemar Żurek explained that the rule‑of‑law law is designed to restore citizens’ faith that a judge at the bench is independent and impartial. He added, “We must have no doubt that a person who sits at the judicial desk is appointed correctly.”
National Judicial Council Reform
The bill proposes to reconstitute the National Judicial Council (KRS) in line with the Polish Constitution, conducting elections among all judges. “The current KRS has major flaws – for example, military and administrative judges, who are constitutionally excluded, are not seated. We will change this.”
Elimination of Irregularities
By addressing irregularities in the composition of the KRS, the law aims to provide legal certainty and accelerate proceedings. “These laws solve the problem, give certainty to the law, and speed up proceedings,” the minister announced.
