Polish Senate Passes Controversial Bill on Judicial Reform – Reports

The Polish Senate has approved at a late night session a controversial bill on judicial overhaul that will remove Supreme Court judges, local media reported Saturday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The legislation sailed through the upper house of the parliament with no amendments, the Polish Press Agency (PAP) said. Earlier this week it cleared the lower house and will now go to President Andrzej Duda.

The agency said voting on the draft law went ahead amid a large pro-democracy demonstration outside the parliament, called Sejm.

Poland’s judicial changes have been frowned upon in Brussels. European Council chief Donald Tusk has warned they was against EU principles as changes are believed to give the government control over the judiciary by enabling it to pick top judges.

Earlier this week, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani sent a letter to President Duda, urging him to preserve the principle of separation of powers and judicial independence.