Polish President Andrzej Duda will visit Brussels on January 18 following a planned European Commission debate on the rule of law in Poland, whose government has sparked concern by pushing through controversial changes to the judiciary and media.
Duda is backed by the conservative and eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party that came to power in October after eight years in opposition and which has alarmed rights watchdogs and the EU's executive by trying to take control of any organ that could keep it in check.
In Brussels, Duda will meet with European Council president and former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk as well as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, presidential advisor Krzysztof Szczerski told the Polish news agency PAP.
He said the trip had long been on the agenda and is unrelated to any recent developments in the EU member.
Instead Duda will discuss this year's NATO summit in Warsaw with Stoltenberg, as well as Britain's potential departure from the EU and energy policy with Tusk.
But the visit will take place just days after the January 13 European Commission debate regarding the state of the rule of law in Poland.
The PiS party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski has wasted no time since returning to power to introduce legislation reforming the country's constitutional court and giving the government power to directly appoint the heads of public broadcasters.
Under the proposed media law, which Duda still needs to sign, senior figures in public radio and television will be appointed -- and sacked -- by the treasury minister, and no longer hired by the National Broadcasting Council.
Duda already passed into law late last year a reform of the constitutional court, despite mass protests and claims by the opposition that the changes threaten judicial independence.
The moves have prompted escalating warnings from the European Commission that it could intervene, including two letters from its vice president, Frans Timmermans, asking Warsaw for information.
The Council of Europe, the continent's top human rights watchdog, also urged Duda against signing the proposed media law.
Its commissioner for human rights, Nils Muiznieks, called on him "to uphold the independence of Poland's public service television and radio" in a statement Tuesday.
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski for his part told public radio Tuesday that the EU's representative in Warsaw would be invited for a talk to clarify the European Commission's recent appeals to Polish leaders.
Polish President Andrzej Duda will visit Brussels on January 18 following a planned European Commission debate on the rule of law in Poland, whose government has sparked concern by pushing through controversial changes to the judiciary and media.
Duda is backed by the conservative and eurosceptic Law and Justice (PiS) party that came to power in October after eight years in opposition and which has alarmed rights watchdogs and the EU’s executive by trying to take control of any organ that could keep it in check.
In Brussels, Duda will meet with European Council president and former Polish prime minister Donald Tusk as well as NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, presidential advisor Krzysztof Szczerski told the Polish news agency PAP.
He said the trip had long been on the agenda and is unrelated to any recent developments in the EU member.
Instead Duda will discuss this year’s NATO summit in Warsaw with Stoltenberg, as well as Britain’s potential departure from the EU and energy policy with Tusk.
But the visit will take place just days after the January 13 European Commission debate regarding the state of the rule of law in Poland.
The PiS party led by Jaroslaw Kaczynski has wasted no time since returning to power to introduce legislation reforming the country’s constitutional court and giving the government power to directly appoint the heads of public broadcasters.
Under the proposed media law, which Duda still needs to sign, senior figures in public radio and television will be appointed — and sacked — by the treasury minister, and no longer hired by the National Broadcasting Council.
Duda already passed into law late last year a reform of the constitutional court, despite mass protests and claims by the opposition that the changes threaten judicial independence.
The moves have prompted escalating warnings from the European Commission that it could intervene, including two letters from its vice president, Frans Timmermans, asking Warsaw for information.
The Council of Europe, the continent’s top human rights watchdog, also urged Duda against signing the proposed media law.
Its commissioner for human rights, Nils Muiznieks, called on him “to uphold the independence of Poland’s public service television and radio” in a statement Tuesday.
Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski for his part told public radio Tuesday that the EU’s representative in Warsaw would be invited for a talk to clarify the European Commission’s recent appeals to Polish leaders.
