The collection of articles and columns in English from the authors of OKO.press
“The main political families in European Parliament are basically speaking with one voice when it comes to the rule of law and Poland. In this sense the Polish government and its MEPs are isolated," says Slovak MEP Michal Šimečka. He emphasises, however, that the ultimate condition of Polish democracy rests in the hands of Polish voters
OKO.press is calling on 52 EU partners of Polish municipalities and regions, which passed resolutions that they are ‘LGBT ideology-free’ zones, to terminate/suspend their partnership agreements. The civic report is an expression of the conviction that everything should be done to stop homophobic hatred in Poland and in Europe before it is too late
“Representatives of the Ministry of Justice can meet with the representatives of the Venice Commission, treating their arrival a little like a quasi-private visit,” said Zbigniew Ziobro on 8 January. The minister is of the opinion that the invitation of the Commission by the Speaker of the Senate, Tomasz Grodzki, was an abuse. The facts speak differently
Without the consent of senators, the new Commissioner will not take up the post in 2020 after Adam Bodnar’s current term ends. If the Senate rejects the candidates put forward by PiS, Bodnar may remain in the post for longer
The recent general elections have triggered a dynamic that will lead to a complete change in the political scene. It will be a parliament of transformation rather than of continuation - writes Leszek Koczanowicz, political scientist, philosopher
In the run-up to the elections PiS sought to calm emotions surrounding the justice system. Yet Kaczyński has stated on TV that the ruling party will complete its “reform”, overcoming “the last barrier”. He reveals a plan to reorganize courts. In practice, this will mean a vetting of all judges in the country and the removal of those who fail to toe the line
The Law and Justice government argues that the reforms introduced since 2015 do not differ from solutions in place elsewhere. But PiS has politicised the National Council of the Judiciary, subjugated the Constitutional Tribunal and is trying to take over the Supreme Court. Every particular change is troubling, but all the more so when viewed in its entirety
The Advocate General of the Court of Justice of the EU, Evgeni Tanchev, has strongly affirmed that polish judges (as any other judge in European Union member state) may pose prejudicial questions to the CJEU regarding their independence in the context of the disciplinary system.
The situation is exceptionally grave. PiS has aimed almost its entire arsenal at the judiciary, but now has unsheathed one more weapon: administrative control of judicial verdicts - warns professor and philosopher of law Jerzy Zajadło, University of Gdańsk
Polish government, arm in arm with Hungary, the Czech Republic and Italy, blocked Frans Timmermans’s candidacy for head of the European Commission. Over the last three years, the narrative of the Law and Justice party has portrayed him as a dark figure oppressing Poles in the name of "left-wing ideology" and his own career. Obvious lies.
Polish lawyers came up with a plan how to really reform judiciary - OKO.press reports in our series on rule of law in Poland. Publikujemy teksty po angielsku o praworządności w Polsce, aby pełna informacja o sytuacji w naszym kraju docierała do czytelników i czytelniczek za granicą. Udostępnij znajomym mieszkającym poza Polską. #RuleOfLawPL
Facebook has broken up a network of pages that spread fake news and Russian propaganda and promoted pro-Russian politicians in Poland for more than three years. It happened as a result of independent investigations carried out by a Polish investigative portal OKO.press and an international non-governmental organisation Avaaz
According to the latest poll, majority of Poles believe that the Court of Justice of the EU is entitled to stop Law and Justice's judiciary reform if it concludes that the EU rules have been violated. The Polish people widely support firm actions by the Court against the right-wing government
Students and professors are occupying the Rector’s office. They are protesting against a reform which aims to limit the autonomy of the universities, transfer control from the academic community to the government and introduce a business-style management system
Polish National Broadcasting Council has just imposed the biggest fine in its history. It claims that by reporting on anti-government protests of December 2016, a private television station TVN24 has been “propagating unlawful actions”. The appeal, if made by the broadcaster, will end up in The Supreme Court - currently being taken over by the government
Law and Justice party (PiS), has been ruling in Poland for nearly two years, since the election in November, 2015 gave them a steady majority in the parliament. Yet it took them just one day to overturn the democratic order in the country once and for all. Since July 12th 2017 all courts in Poland are now under threat of being controlled by the ruling party
Though in Warsaw women are demonstrating for the 18th time already, there is no end in sight. On the contrary, the past year has brought governmental violence against women to new heights. Particularly in the area of sexuality, but also as far as the right to defend oneself against physical and psychological abuse is concerned.
The anti-EU and anti-western rhetoric of the Law and Justice Party (PiS) might be consistent with the views of a significant majority of Polish people - a majority much more numerous than the ruling party’s core electorate. And the supposed readiness of Poles to join the “core of the EU”, so pleasing to EU enthusiasts, is a complete myth
