"I can't understand why they [the European Commission] were unobjective [in their] assessment of the situation in Poland and our reforms in judiciary. We establish institutions and we made changes, which function in European Union countries, in Spain, in Sweden. This is nothing new in the area of the European Union. So, I don't understand why our changes, our reforms are [considered] anti-democratic in Poland, and the same institutions in countries of the European Union are correct," Duda said.
The Polish president added that Warsaw and the European Commission were now engaged in a dialogue, while earlier there was "dictate" from Brussels.
Duda stressed that Polish people were unhappy with the judicial system and reforms were needed.
"Seventy percent of our population is absolutely sure that our judiciary needs changes… Why? Because it works wrong: too long procedures, people who think that they are hostages of the judiciary. A really bad situation," Duda said.
The Polish president added that his party had been promising to change the situation for years.
READ MORE: Poland Opposes EU Budget Distribution Plan Based on Adherence to Rule of Law
On December 20, the European Commission said it was planning to propose to the Council of the European Union that Article 7(1) of the Treaty on European Union be triggered over the risk of a serious breach of the rule of law in Poland.
As stated by the Commission, over a period of two years, Poland has adopted over 13 laws impacting the country's judicial system, namely the work of the Constitutional Tribunal, Supreme Court, ordinary courts, National Council for the Judiciary, prosecution service and National School of Judiciary. As a result, the authorities have been gradually enabled to interfere in the administration and work of the judicial branch.
On Fake News
The Poland's president continued by saying that disinformation was very dangerous and fake news were among the most formidable tools in the contemporary hybrid war.
"In my opinion, fake news is one of the most dangerous tools of hybrid war, this modern kind of war in the contemporary world," Duda said.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, who was present at the same WFE session as Duda, continued to talks on the issue of fake news, saying that he was certain Europe would overcome the problem of fake news and win in the hybrid war.
"I am absolutely confident that we will win fake news and propaganda war, win information war, we would be winner in the hybrid war because truth is with us," Poroshenko said.
The Ukrainian president added that Europe would also overcome the current success of populists and Euroskeptics.
