The president of the ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party in Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński, has claimed that EU treaties are no longer applicable in Europe, declaring the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) as the bloc’s new legislator.
Kaczyński made the remarks during an interview with the Gazeta Polska newspaper, where he was quizzed on the extent to which EU treaties still existed in practice.
“It can be said that European institutions have radically rejected the treaties,” Poland’s deputy prime minister told the publication.
“Treaties in the EU have ceased to apply and the Court of Justice of the EU has become the new legislator,” he added.
Poland’s relationship with the bloc’s judiciary has deteriorated in recent times following the court’s recent imposition of fines amounting to €1.5 million per day against the member state for failing to adhere to its rulings.
Poland has been ordered to pay €500,000 per day for failing to shut down its Turów open-pit coal mine, in addition to €1 million per day for choosing not to disband a judicial disciplinary panel.
Kaczyński stressed that Poland would reject any proposals from Brussels to expand the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). Recently, the European Commission had proposed to introduce similar green regulations for fuel, construction materials and agriculture, but also has a plan to create its own fund and transfer money to it from the majority of newly-introduced taxes.
“Poland’s position is clear: there is no permission for this from us and there will never be. That’s it,” the ruling party’s president affirmed.
Kaczyński also rejected the notion that Poland could U-turn and support ETS expansion in exchange for the release of capital from the bloc’s recovery fund, which is currently being held up by the European Commission.
Jarosław Kaczyński:
Treaties in the EU have ceased to apply and the Court of Justice of the EU has become the new legislator.
“First of all, blocking payments to Poland from the National Recovery Plan is completely illegal. There is no substantial or legal basis for it. It is an illegal activity which violates rule of law and simple honesty,” he said.
Kaczyński explained that Poland would refuse such an offer because the consequences of expanding the Emissions Trading System would be catastrophic for Poles, the Polish economy and the budgets of Polish families.
“The offer could be described this way: ‘I will give you 100,000 złotys (€21,618), but you give me 1 million in exchange.’ No one sane would even consider this,” he added.
