The Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe represents, through its National Bar members, more than 1 million European Union, the European Economic Area, and wider Europe. On 10 July 2018 CCBE published a press release on the situation the Supreme Court of Poland

Joint statement of July 2018 in defense of acting Human Rights Commissioner who had been subject of political attacks

Judge Darisz Mazur on the changes in the Supreme Court of Poland including Disciplinary Chamber and Chamber of Extraordinary Claim and Internal Affairs

Based on Constitutional Tribunal own data, the report highlights significant drop of CT proceedings in 2017. In addition, the adjudicating panel selection and disqualification motions justify concerns about the possibility of the current CT management using its powers to achieve a specific decision on the merits.

Legal analysis from June 2018 argues that Polish legislation was at that time violating EU Treaties and Charter of Fundamental Rights, that it remains in competence of the Court of Justice and potential insufficient implementation of the ruling could lead to financial penalties.

The authors, from Batory Foundation Idea Forum and ESI, argue that the Polish case is a test whether it is possible to create a Soviet-style justice system, where the control of courts, prosecutors and judges lies with the executive and a single party, in an EU member state.

In Poland reckoning with the Polish People’s Republic is still underway – and doesn’t look to end any time soon. It is nor hampered by death of people and groups publicly charged

The Assembly of Representatives of Judges of the Regional Court in Krakow draws attention to the fact that subordinated to the political factors law
enforcement authorities have been taking actions of repressive character towards judge Waldemar Żurek for the period of around 2 years. Recently, the newly
– appointed President of the Court has also taken actions of repressive character.

This response to the White Paper compendium presented by the Government of the Republic of Poland to the European Commission was prepared by the Polish Judges Association “Iustitia”, together with a team of experts, in order to present a realistic picture of the reforms of the Polish justice system, which have been made in Poland over the last two years.

The clock is ticking, in particular regarding the SC judges. It depends only on the Commission whether it will allow that the values expressed in Art. 2 TEU be merely set down on paper, or whether it will attempt to convince the CJEU that these values have – in the case of Poland – been breached. The green light shown by the CJEU could not be greener.