According to the paper “Brussels is exploring ways” to sidestep a possible veto from President Andrzej Duda to Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s judicial reforms.
The daily said Tusk has “ vowed to fast track judicial reforms to meet the EU milestones and said he hoped Duda would sign them into law,” to unblock funds withheld by the European Commission due to a dispute between Warsaw and Brussels over the rule of law under Poland's previous conservative Law and Justice government.
The Financial Times reported that among the options worked on by Brussels and Warsaw was “unlocking €76.5bn in regular EU funds that were held up in late 2022 over judicial independence but that are not formally linked to the … milestones.”
On Friday EU commissioner for justice Didier Reynders visited Poland for talks with Cabinet ministers and reaffirmed Brussels' support for the Polish government's measures to restore rule of law in the country.
At a joint news conference with Poland’s justice minister Adam Bodnar, Reynders said the new Polish government was "fully determined to restore the rule of law," adding that the EU's executive Commission welcomed these efforts.
The EU justice chief said he and Poland's justice minister had had a "good meeting" focused on Poland's "action plan to restore the rule of law" and the intention to join the European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO).
Reynders added the Commission was "fully committed to supporting Poland in its endeavours."
He noted the need to "restore the independence of Poland's National Council of the Judiciary (KRS)," due to its "key role in judicial appointments" in the country, polskieradio24.pl reported.
The EU commissioner said he looked forward to further talks with the Polish government, starting at the informal meeting of EU justice ministers on January 24-26, according to officials.
