The European Commission has recently initiated legal action against Poland over the establishment of a controversial body investigating ‘Russian influence,’ which is widely perceived as targeting the opposition
Despite Polish President Andrzej Duda’s recent announcement that he intends to propose amendments to the law in response to criticism from the EU and the United States, the infringement procedure was initiated.
Commission Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis explained that the commission has “agreed to start an infringement procedure by sending a letter of formal notice” to Warsaw. Poland, a close ally of Ukraine in its struggle against Russia’s invasion, established the committee with the aim of investigating individuals who may have been influenced by Russia.
According to the recently signed law, individuals found guilty could face a 10-year ban from public positions related to public finances and classified information.
Critics argue that the measure, introduced by the governing conservative party just months before parliamentary elections, is likely to be used to target opposition leader Donald Tusk.
His party has even gone so far as to nickname it the “Lex Tusk” or Tusk Law, expressing their suspicion about its intended purpose.
The European Union expressed “special concern” regarding the committee, while the United States stated that the legislation “could be used to block the candidacy of opposition politicians without due process.”
In response to the criticism, Duda announced on Friday that he had proposed an amendment to remove the penalties imposed by the committee. Instead, the committee would issue a statement indicating that the person had been influenced by Russia and could not be guaranteed to work in the public interest.
Duda, who is aligned with the governing conservative party, also suggested that the committee be staffed with experts rather than lawmakers or senators.
He called on the parliament to swiftly adopt his proposed amendment.
Since assuming power in 2015, Poland’s ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) has been engaged in a contentious relationship with the European Union, primarily due to accusations that Warsaw does not fully uphold EU laws, particularly concerning the judiciary.
Donald Tusk, a former Polish prime minister and European Council president, is presenting a significant challenge to the governing PiS party as the country approaches upcoming elections. As the leader of the centrist opposition party Civic Platform (PO), Tusk successfully mobilized around half a million protesters in Warsaw last week, marking one of the largest anti-government demonstrations since the end of communism 30 years ago.
