The European Commission in the new convocation will continue strong pressure on Poland and Hungary due to failures in the rule of law, diplomats and officials said yesterday, dashing the hopes of the ruling nationalist party in Warsaw.
The government led by the Law and Justice party (PiS) had hoped that support for the new president of the influential European Commission - German conservative Ursula von der Leyen - would help it close the so-called Article 7 investigation against Poland for violations of democratic rules.
That will not happen, said yesterday Frans Timmermans, the Dutchman who is expected to retain the position of deputy head of the Commission after European ministers again discussed the bloc's concerns about Poland.
"I have no doubt that the new European Commission, under the presidency of Ursula von der Leyen, will be strong, concrete and decisive, just like the Commission in its current composition," Timmermans said at a press conference in Brussels.
In recent days, Poland and Hungary have repeatedly reminded von der Leyen that she owes them a new position because thanks to the votes of their deputies, she won a narrow victory in the EP vote.
However, when presenting the program for the next five years, von der Leyen repeatedly emphasized that respect for the EU's fundamental democratic values will be at the heart of her policy.
She, like the outgoing Commission, proposed a series of new instruments to preserve democracy across the 28-nation bloc, where Eurosceptic and nationalist parties have grown stronger in recent years in an apparent sign of voter discontent over austerity, migration and globalisation.
German and French ministers emphasized at yesterday's meeting that the rule of law "is at the heart of the European project", diplomatic sources told Reuters.
"The fears that led to the activation of the Article 7 procedure have not been completely and adequately removed. We confirm our support for the current composition of the Commission in this respect and we are convinced that the same commitment will be shown in the next mandate", said German Minister Mihael Roth.
Finland, which holds the bloc's presidency until the end of 2019, has also spoken out in favor of a tougher response from the bloc against members who question democratic rules. This implies that the financing of member states according to the new common budget for 2021-27. be conditional on respect for the rule of law, a step that could harm Poland and Hungary, since they are among the poorer members receiving generous aid.
Polish PiS and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán made certain concessions under pressure from the European Union and renounced certain changes in legislation aimed at bringing the courts, media and academic groups under state control.
In a separate case, the Commission continued its pressure on Poland this week over disciplinary procedures brought by PiS against judges. Warsaw has two weeks to make the changes or face legal action at the European Union's highest court.
The commission scheduled a hearing on Hungary in September.'
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