Following–up on preliminary findings of March 2018, the Council of Europe’s Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) has now re-assessed legislation passed in respect of Poland’s judiciary in 2017-18, including the new amendments to the laws on the National Council of the Judiciary, the Supreme Court and the Law on Ordinary Courts of April and May 2018.
GRECO is concerned that Poland no longer complies with anti-corruption standards in so far as these relate to judicial independence.
In its report, GRECO expresses particular criticism of the fact that a large number of Supreme Court judges are imminently forced to retire early and that the legislation allows for a discretionary re-appointment process by which the President of Poland may select and “de facto” re-appoint certain judges.
