BRUSSELS, December 15 (Reuters) – The European Union will transfer to Poland, as promised this year, a first tranche of 5 billion euros in financial aid which was until now frozen due to breaches of the Rule of law, the President of the European Commission and the new Polish Prime Minister announced on Friday.
Newly appointed head of the Warsaw government after eight years of nationalist government, the pro-European Donald Tusk has pledged to reverse the measures of the Law and Justice party (PiS) aimed in particular at the independence of the judiciary.
“I welcome your commitment to placing the rule of law at the top of your government’s priorities,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen after a meeting with Donald Tusk in Brussels on the sidelines of the European Council.
This €5 billion payment is part of the REPowerEU program to help with the energy transition and reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels, which are not subject to the EU’s usual rule of law conditions.
Ursula von der Leyen said more funds would come as Poland restored the independence of its judiciary.
“We will have to make up for lost time,” she said.
The President of the European Commission particularly welcomed Warsaw’s desire to join the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO), which the PiS had refused to do.
“To be continued,” summarized Donald Tusk on social networks. (Report by Gabriela Baczynska; French version Lina Golovnya, edited by Jean-Stéphane Brosse)
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