Warsaw expects to get blocked EU funds within ‘months’ – Macau Business

Poland expressed confidence Thursday that it would soon receive the post-Covid recovery funds that the European Union had blocked because of its concerns over the rule of law there.

In the coming months already, this money will start to flow from the EU budget, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki told reporters.

The EU member announced last week that it had concluded negotiations with Brussels over the blocked funds of around 35 billion euros ($37 billion).

Brussels had refused to release them because of concerns that a controversial disciplinary mechanism for judges in Poland undermined judicial independence.

Morawiecki said that while the two sides have come to an agreement, the EUs economic and financial affairs council still needs to give its greenlight and Warsaw must make legislative changes.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her part said in a letter Tuesday that Poland would have to prove that it had met the necessary conditions before any disbursement under the Recovery and Resilience Facility could take place.

Last week the Commission said that Poland would have to dismantle the contested Supreme Court disciplinary chamber, reform the disciplinary regime and allow judges affected by the disciplinary chambers decisions to be reinstated.

Morawiecki said Thursday that the disciplinary chamber as it stands will be abolished.

Polish government spokesman Piotr Muller explained that a presidential draft law on the matter was expected to be put up for a vote in parliament next week, adding that it contained all of the conditions set out by Brussels.

Theres the reform of the disciplinary system, the abolishment of the disciplinary chamber, and when it comes to the reinstatement of judges, were offering a procedure which would make that possible, he told Polish independent news channel TVN24.

The rest is here:

Warsaw expects to get blocked EU funds within 'months' - Macau Business