The Polish government restores judicial self-government in the Council for the Judiciary by reintroducing the rule that judges in the council will be elected by their peers. Congratulations: good step forward.

Monika Frackowiak, vice-President of MEDEL, is participating in the Round Table discussion organised in the Dutch Parliament, sharing experiences from Poland on how the civil society and magistrates can oppose the attack on the #RuleOfLaw 👇.
tweedekamer.nl/vergaderingen/…

Today, I spoke at the Asser Institute Symposium on Judicial Culture. My message: rules to safeguard judicial independence are important, but investment in the culture of judicial independence is even more important, because culture eats rules for breakfast.

Christian Markiewicz, president of Iustitia, has been appointed as chair of the Commission responsible - in my words - for the development of the future law on the judiciary in Poland. Congratulations! An excellent and promising appointment.

The Venice Commission will examine the draft law amending the Law on the National Council of the Judiciary of Poland. The draft opinion will be submitted for adoption to the 139th plenary session of the Venice Commission (21-22 June 2024).

De nieuwe Poolse regering was vorige week honderd dagen aan de macht. Hoe staat het met het herstel van de rechtsstaat? Sommige rechters vinden dat dit te lang duurt. Interview met Waldemar Żurek: 'De beulen lopen nog steeds rond tussen hun slachtoffers.’ volkskrant.nl/buitenland/voo…

The Fight for the Rule of Law Moves against Its Main Guardian: the Commission. My comment: If the Commission would take its duty more seriously, this was not necessary. euinside.eu/en/analyses/th…

📚 De tip van Kees Sterk is 'Vernietigen' van Michel Houellebecq.

Volgens Kees beschrijft de normaal cynische schrijver voor het eerst in zijn boeken dat steun & liefde van je naasten tot écht belangrijke dingen in het leven behoren.

🎧Café Europa: haagschcollege.nl/podcast/cafe-e…

In this latest CafeEuropa podcast I am interviewed on RoL developments in Europe. Sorry, only in Dutch.

Brussels vs. Brussels: EU Parliament to sue Commission over Hungary cash: the rule of law can’t be traded for deals with Orbán, politico.eu/article/parlia…

Minister Bodnar proposes changes in the Polish Constitutional Court that aim at restoring an independent court loyal to the Polish Constitution, not to a political party.

Proud and thrilled discussing the strategy of the restoration and further development of judicial independence and judicial self-government in Poland with the Minister of Justice and key judicial RoL defenders at the invitation of Dutch ambassador Bergsma in Warsaw.

Excellent development!

Door overheidsfalen zijn levens van mensen vermorzeld. Dat kan morgen wéér gebeuren als de overheid niet anders naar de grondrechten van mensen gaat kijken. Dat is de conclusie van de enquêtecommissie fraudebeleid. ap.lc/hUYej #toeslagenaffaire

A Romanian judge was disciplinary fined - 5% salary cut - for 2 posts on Facebook. By majority the Strasbourg Court held the decision in violation of his freedom of speech, because ‘the national courts failed to give due consideration to several important factors’.

Three ‘Ziobro’ disciplinary officers have to account to independent court for harassing judges by disciplinary procedures.

Undoing PiS’s takeover of the state will be a long and controversial slog, writes the Economist.
economist.com/europe/2024/02…

Judge Markiewiecz on the restoration of the independence of the Judiciary on Dutch television: if we wait until the mandate of the neo KRS expires, there will be 4000 neo judges instead of 2000 now. All selected by an unconstitutional body.

This evening I gave evidence to the Dutch Senate’s Standing Committee on European Affairs on the restoration of judicial independence in Poland. My text (sorry, only in Dutch)

Thank you, Tamas, for your courageous fight for independence! Kees