the Polish Prime Minister says he is “ready for dialogue”

Polish head of government Mateusz Morawiecki said he was “ready for dialogue”. In conflict with the European Union on the independence of justice and the primacy of European law, the Prime Minister denounced “the pressure of blackmail” as the European Council opens on Thursday 21 October in Brussels. “We will of course discuss how to settle the current disputes”, he said after an interview with French President Emmanuel Macron and before a scheduled meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

During his interview with Mateusz Morawiecki, the French head of state “expressed concern about the situation created by the judgment of the Polish Constitutional Court”, said the Elysee. “He called on his counterpart to engage in a dialogue with the European Commission to find a solution compatible with our principles and our common rules”, according to the presidency.

Warsaw has been in conflict with Brussels for several years over judicial reforms undertaken by the ruling Nationalist Conservative Party (PiS), accused of undermining the independence of judges. Tensions have increased since a ruling on October 7 by the Polish Constitutional Court which declared certain articles of European treaties incompatible with the national constitution.