Polish president signs judiciary reforms into law in defiance of EU action

WARSAW, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Polish President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday signed into law two controversial bills reforming the country's key judicial bodies, in defiance of an earlier action by the European Commission which decided to launch Article 7 of the EU treaty against Poland.

The president said that the changes introduced were very good solutions that would serve to improve the justice system. He argued that thanks to the laws on reform of the Supreme Court and the amendment to the National Judicial Council (KRS), "people will finally regain their faith in justice, faith in Polish courts, faith in the Polish justice system."

Poland on Wednesday regretted the European Commission decision to launch Article 7, saying the Commission's decision is "essentially political, not legal in its nature," Poland's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

"We are always ready for talks. During the last European summit, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki confirmed our will to continue dialogue at the highest level with the Commission, which was positively welcomed by the other side," it said.

"We hope that soon we will be able to present our position in a direct and open manner," the statement added.

Morawiecki, who became the prime minister earlier this month, said Poland is dedicated to the rule of law principle as the EU is, according to Polish Press Agency.

Morawiecki said the judicial reforms were necessary, and suggested that dialogue between Warsaw and the European Commission needed "openness and honesty".

He added that he believed Poland's independence could be reconciled with the united Europe concept.

The European Commission said earlier on Wednesday in a statement that it had triggered Article 7 and launched an unprecedented censure against Poland over a judicial reform dispute. Enditem